TWT Part 2-4: In the valley we walk
by Matthew1972
Summary: The 21st century is when everything changes and Torchwood is ready. But can the team anticipate how the twists of fate insist upon more than technology? Magic is needed to save the world, as are Courage and Strength, when events lead up to the coldest winter Earth has ever known. Will the six friends be able to save humanity?
1. In these stones horizons sing

**Author note:** This is an omnibus of the formerly published three separate stories: "In these stones horizons sing", "Hidden paths of magic" and "Cold as ice". All published on the Heart of Camelot from May 2013 to March 2014. Edited in 2016 and re-published here. Set post 5x13 of Merlin. Torchwood: Children of Earth didn't happen, which means Ianto still lives and Toshiko and Owen are sadly gone…

* * *

 **PART 2: IN THESE STONES HORIZONS SING**

 **Prologue**

The town of Keswick in Cumbria was shrouded in a thick fog. It was quiet and tranquil, despite the fact four and a half thousand people lived there. On Sundays like this one most families were enjoying their roast or they were visiting their relatives. Only a few walkers were out and about, some with their dogs. Every now and then a car turned the corner before it headed for one of the two main roads out of the sleepy town.

In the summer months Keswick thrived on the many tourists visiting the Lake District. Despite the fact the county and the national park were known as one of the wettest parts of England many walkers, cyclists and other tourists enjoyed spending some time there. They were attracted to the high hills, the beautiful scenery, picturesque towns and the many historical sites. On days like today though when it was too early in the season nothing much happened…

That was until in the fog three men appeared from out of nowhere. One second earlier Merlin had grabbed Arthur's right hand and Gwaine's left while the three of them walked away from Glastonbury Tor. Now they were many leagues up north, far away from the three pairs of curious eyes belonging to the Torchwood three. While Merlin let go of the hands of his friends his eyes returned to dark blue.

"What was that!?" He heard Arthur say in a stunned voice while Gwaine barked out a laugh filled with shock and a touch of amusement. Looking between both men Merlin didn't know where to begin explaining how he took them so many leagues up north within a split second.

* * *

"That was magic! No, that was powerful magic even. You didn't even put a spell on us. I knew there was something to you, Merlin, but that was just…"

Gwaine was stunned and impressed by the realisation. All those things he'd seen and felt about Merlin at last added up. The truth behind the secret he always sensed was there and yet couldn't name all came down to one thing; Merlin had magic. His friend did not have just a little touch of it, but his earlier action suggested Merlin embraced all that it entailed. His eyes had burned with magic so powerful it could scare away the world and yet all Gwaine felt was safe.

Memories of the past came back to Gwaine. All the times when the impossible became possible just because Merlin was there…. and all the times the King and his knights walked away from dangerous quests when really they shouldn't. The wyverns in the Perilous Lands, the Cailleach and her Dorocha, Merlin winning a fight when he could barely hold a sword and all the times Arthur defied death against the odds. How much of those moments were won due to magic? In short; how blind had he really been? Gwaine felt kind of foolish now that he hadn't noticed it earlier when it was this obvious all along and so he didn't ask. Instead he just accepted the irony of it and saw his friend for what he was for a first time; an even more brave and still kind hearted soul.

"That was a transportation spell", Merlin said after a while. To Gwaine's amazement Arthur merely nodded before he took in their new surroundings and asked. "Where are we now?" The practical question made no sense to Gwaine. Did Arthur already know, or was he still blind?

"This town is called Keswick. I took us north and miles away from Glastonbury", came Merlin's answer.

"That is it? You are not angry or shocked?" Gwaine looked between his two friends and saw there was nothing but understanding there.

Arthur nodded, "Oh, I was all that and more a few days ago when I found out Merlin had magic. Not anymore though. We have talked about it and I came to accept it before…" Arthur trailed off.

Gwaine couldn't help but wince at the words, knowing all too well how the sentence would end and as unwilling as Arthur seemed to revisit their deaths. No, he realised, it still did not make sense to him how they ended up where and when they did. For now though he would just take each breath as it came to see where it would lead him to.

* * *

Arthur remembered how badly he had reacted at first when he found out about the fact Merlin had magic. It was just so hard for him to accept that the man he deemed closest to him had lied for so many years. The man he came to for advice had not been truthful about who he was. That had hurt the most. But as he was forced to spend the next two days with only Merlin at his side he was forced to think and see magic for what it was.

Magic came as easy to Merlin as breathing. Arthur saw with his own eyes how his friend barely even blinked when he used it to hide their trail or when he needed to light a fire. There were no spells, just a flash of gold in the eyes he trusted. Each time Merlin did use magic he was honestly scared of how Arthur reacted. It was in every single hesitant move he made, from the shaking of gracious hands to the nervous look from the corner of his eyes. It pained Arthur when he realised that he put the fear in a man who was probably more powerful than anyone else.

What if Merlin hadn't been a good man? Would he have turned against Arthur rather then spend his whole life protecting him? From the moment the question flashed through his mind Arthur rejected it. Deep down he knew that nothing had changed. Merlin was still the same man he was before. The bumbling fool of a servant and the man who often was too kind for the world had still stood before him when he left the world.

Dying in Merlin's arms had somehow felt right. They were brothers, bound by destiny and their fight for Camelot. In the end they were fated to be on the shores of Avalon. Arthur had known he would die from the moment he fell in the battle of Camlann. In his final moments he made his peace with Merlin. When it came down to it Arthur was a man of his word and he would accept Merlin in this century too, even if his friend just took his breath away with his latest trick.

"I asked Merlin never to change and it seems that for once he actually listened to me." Arthur couldn't resist the joke to lighten his mood. He was rewarded with laughter from his two friends. Merlin only shrugged before he said, "Let's get out of this fog first, then a warm meal and some rest."

Arthur nodded at the excellent idea. He felt rather exhausted after all the excitement of waking up in a place he didn't recognize. All the running through the fields and crops near Glastonbury together with Gwaine didn't help much either. For once he was actually glad someone else took charge. "Lead the way."


	2. ITS: Chapter one

**Chapter one**

About four weeks after their trip to Glastonbury the three of Torchwood came back to their Hub from a Cardiff based mission. All were drenched from the rain, but they were still laughing and joking while they recalled some of the things that happened. Jack parked the black jeep in the garage of their secret headquarters before they jumped out.

Their mission had been a successful one. The weevils causing havoc inside the Millennium Stadium in the heart of the city were caught. It had been two juvenile males this time, and while they were smaller than their adult kind they still were a lot of trouble. The deep scratches on Jack's arm were a clear reminder of the resistance the weevils put up before they were caught.

Weevils; it was amazing the rift still spat the humanoid creatures out on Earth every now and then. Jack sometimes wondered how many of their kind were here by now. As long as they behaved and remained in the sewers where they liked to live he was alright with it, but sometimes when they came out of the dark and stepped out on the streets they became a serious problem. It was a shame that he couldn't talk to them and that they didn't understand a word he said. All they did was growl and bite with their huge, sharp jaws. Oh, how they bit and scratched when they were angry.

From his experiences Jack knew that death by Weevil was quite a painful way to go. Over the years Torchwood had become skilled at capturing them, but there was only so much they could do for the aliens and the city they were based in. They could not imprison all the Weevils they found in the cells of the Hub, for there simply weren't enough cells. Jack hoped that one day there was a better solution for their problem.

The three shed their wet coats and Jack gladly accepted a towel from Ianto. While he dried himself off he decided to send Ianto and Gwen home to get some rest. It had been a long day and they were all tired. He grinned when Gwen kissed him on the cheek, then she waved to Ianto and walked out to head home to her husband Rhys with a smile.

Ever since the trip to Glastonbury the three friends had realised that they needed to take the time to unwind whenever they could. Their friendship would last longer that way and quite possibly their lives too. They all knew danger lurked around every corner, but each time when they could take a break from the chaos that was Torchwood they would.

Jack smiled when Ianto insisted he would tidy up the Hub first before he left. He watched Ianto from the window of his higher placed office. It never bored him to see his lover at work. Even more so he enjoyed making him fluster at the realisation of two greedy eyes following his moves with appreciation. Ianto had rolled up his sleeves, but he still wore his tie and waistcoat. The way Ianto loved to dress in pristine suits and he always bought ones which fit him so perfect too amused Jack. He had never figured out why his lover dressed the way he did, but he enjoyed the sight of it all the same.

Maybe he would not send Ianto home just yet after all. Instead maybe they could have a coffee together before he would walk his lover home. "Ianto…" Jack called him on a whim. "While you're done down there can you work us both some coffee magic?" A nod and almost naughty smile told him that Ianto understood everything that he didn't say.

* * *

Merlin walked into the house on the edge of Keswick. His arms were loaded with bags filled to the brim with groceries. Shopping for three was not his favourite thing to do, but he could not ask his housemates for help. Arthur had never shopped in his entire life, not even when he was still back in the past in Camelot. The marketplace was merely a place the Prince, and later King, crossed on his way over to the training grounds. His shopping was done by servants and the kitchen staff of the castle…

With a smile Merlin allowed Arthur to take away some of the heavy load. "Thanks", he said, grateful to be rid of his burden at last.

"It's the least I can do." Arthur gave him a somewhat awkward smile. The glimmer of regret in his eyes hinted at the fact he remembered the way the two of them fought just over an hour ago. Until then Merlin had done so much running around for the three of them that in his tired mood he confronted Arthur with the fact he had arrived in a new world. The 21st century was a place where there was no status and it didn't matter that Arthur used to be of royal birth. If a man wanted to eat he had to shop and then cook, it was the way the modern world worked. In his spell of frustrations Merlin had run out, grumbling he would do the shopping for a last time. Patience only ran so far…

But while doing the shopping Merlin felt his temper fade away. He had never meant to be so harsh to Arthur. In truth it had been himself and his torn emotions he was angry with more so than anything else. After his long time of longing for their reunion it was just so hard to give his friends space to come to terms with the shock of time travel and the abrupt loss of everything which they had left behind. And yet regardless of his desperate need to be close with them again he found it painful to be around people again and let them into his heart, because he had grown too aware of their mortality. Worse even was that out of his fear to hurt Arthur and Gwaine in their state of grief he felt like he had to walk on eggshells around them.

"Look Arthur, about what I said this morning." Merlin started to explain, but Arthur shook his head and so he stopped talking.

"No, Merlin. I am the one who needs to apologize. The change of the world and the passoing of so much time… it is a lot to take in. Maybe I should try harder… it is just…"

Merlin smiled, "Grief for what you lost… I know. To this day I still miss Camelot, and for me by far more time has passed."

"Will it ever get any easier?"

The soft spoken sadness of Arthur's voice gave Merlin pause. "On some days, yes. But I had the belief that you would come back and it somewhere deep down I think it gave me a future to hold on to during the times when I did not feel like waking up. You don't have that, so you may need some more time. I shouldn't have been so harsh this morning. It is just… well, if I am honest I have been alone for too long. The two of you… I am so glad you're back, but we need to give each other space to get used to the sudden changes we had no control over."

Arthur nodded and then in a flash more like his old stubborn self he smiled before he ducked into a bag. "Come on. Let's get this into the cupboards. Then you must show me how to make a late lunch and I promise you, we will find a way to be fine."

Glad for the offered olive branch to move passed their emotions Merlin grabbed a bag and he began taking the groceries out to stack them away. "Only if you clean up the mess after?" He challenged Arthur with a joke. An honest nod before his friend helped unpack their supplies told him it was accepted.

When later Merlin looked out of the kitchen window though he saw a lone figure sitting on a bench in the garden overlooking the views on the tall hills in the distance. In the slumped over stance he recognized Gwaine. The former knight did a lot of thinking there when he was in one of his deep sad moods. Before Merlin left for the supermarket he had seen in the jaded brown eyes that Gwaine had another one of his nightmares. Something still plagued his friend, but each time when Merlin tried to help him he was turned down. He kept trying to get Gwaine to talk about it though, because he would never give up on a friend…

Watching Gwaine mull his nightmares over for a while added to the determination in his mind. The three of them needed time to come to terms with their reunion and the grief surrounding it. Long ago he had said goodbye to Camelot, but in the minds of his friends the town had not fallen yet. They had only left it a few days ago… not centuries. The ones they left were torn from them by far too recent in their minds too. Yes, he would give both Gwaine and Arthur space to come to terms with the shock destiny bestowed upon them. After all he had waited for so long already. What were a few more years in a long, immortal life?

* * *

Far down in the Hub was Ianto's domain known as the Torchwood archives. It was quite easy for Jack to find him there, browsing through some old boxes and searching among the old newspapers stored in them. Many times he had been there himself to store items ever since he came to Torchwood all the many years ago in the early 20th century. "Have you found what we are looking for?" When there was no reaction from the younger man Jack called out his name, "Ianto? Have you found that file yet?"

"Oh, sorry… I didn't hear you there. No, I am afraid the file is misplaced, but Jack look at what I found." Ianto held up the newspaper in his hands and showed Jack a photograph on one of the pages of a century ago. The date stamp said it was taken on the brink of the First World War. A group of young soldiers stood in front of a British army aircraft. One man stood aside from the group. If his rank was anything to go by he was the leader of them. Jack was unsure what Ianto wanted him to look at though. This was hardly anything precious… or was it?

Jack blinked at the photograph again. In a split second his eyes narrowed at the man standing half in the shadows on the other side of the group. The soldier had an army green bag marked with a cross in a white square slung over his shoulder. His intense eyes seemed to look beyond the photographer. Of course there was no colour in the aged photograph, but based on recent sightings Jack knew the eyes were blue ones. But a short time ago he had met the man in the flesh… and here somehow the same eyes stared at him from about a hundred years ago. How was this possible? No wonder Ianto seemed excited to have found this seemingly unimportant photograph!

"That is Merlin, isn't it? Do you think he lived through the years since, just like he said?" Ianto asked him with disbelief evident in his voice.

Jack nodded, not entirely sure what to think. "This seems to support his claim indeed. Maybe you and I need to investigate this after all. What if he's like me Ianto? Damn, I shouldn't have let him go."

* * *

Ianto smiled at the quiet and confused question followed by the remark. Ever since Jack had opened up to him about his immortal lifespan and what it meant to live forever they had grown closer. More and more Ianto was trusted with a side of Jack that no one else ever got to see. In spite of all his charms and forward character a part of Jack was insecure. At times he was even just as vulnerable as everybody else. Sure Jack would always wake up again after he died, but that didn't mean he couldn't be hurt.

The trauma Jack had suffered in recent months was simply unimaginable to Ianto. To this day Jack still had nightmares and sometimes Ianto got woken up by muffled screams of anguish falling from his lover's lips. There were no words needed between them when Jack simply needed to run out of bed and out of Ianto's home to breathe in some fresh air just to remind himself he was no longer buried alive…

Ianto shook the dark thoughts from his head and with a smile he answered. "There is only one way to find out. We will try to find Merlin and then ask him. Either that or we wait until the Doctor returns to Cardiff to refuel the TARDIS. If anyone should know…" He let his second idea trail off, because he had a feeling that Jack would reject it anyway.

Just like he expected Jack recovered himself with a grin. "The Doctor? Oh come on, I am not waiting that long! So… how do you propose we find Merlin again when as far as we know he can disappear into thin air within the blink of an eye?"

"The answer to that may be hidden in the past. Let me find all the books we have on the legends of Camelot and King Arthur. Merlin's life is entwined with the past for sure. I can also look through our archives and see if I can find a trail. There is bound to be one… unless he's as mysterious as you are."

"Ah, no one else is _that_ mysterious!" Jack's remark was followed by a quiet, "Thank you." Grinning at the other man's words Ianto watched him leave with a shake of his head and a bounce in his steps.


	3. ITS: Chapter two

**Chapter two**

The sun shone over Keswick when the three friends went out for a walk. A week had passed since Merlin lost his temper and to his relief some things had changed for the better. Since that day Arthur and he had talks from time to time. They had never been good at talking about their emotions, but they were at least trying to bridge over the lost time between them. It helped too that Merlin could fill Arthur in on how Gwen had reigned Camelot after his death, and how she had not faced it alone. He let Arthur cry his few tears in peace from time to time, knowing that they both were healing in some ways.

Their unique way of throwing jokes and insults around to the other slowly crept back in too and it felt only right to Merlin. It was even better now, because Arthur treated him as an equal. Merlin smiled at the memory of this morning's breakfast. The kitchen was left in a mess, but he had to admit Arthur made the best pancakes of them all.

Gwaine had come out of his shell a bit further too. On a good day like today the former knight was laughing and flirting with the world around him. It caused Arthur to roll his eyes, but Merlin knew that deep down the both of them were happy to have some of the old Gwaine back. Both crossed their fingers the nightmares would now be fewer and further apart.

To mark the occasion of his recovery Merlin unwrapped the necklace he had kept hidden in his old scarf, tucked together with other items in his box of memories. Gwaine had worn the silver pendant and ring for each day before he came to this century. It almost got lost though when he died, but Percival had found it and he picked it out of the grass. On the day the tall knight told Merlin about what had happened to Gwaine he gifted him the necklace. Merlin had always kept it safe since, but it felt so much better to him to see Gwaine wear it once more.

Merlin led his friends towards the east and out of the town. They walked for about two miles while Merlin ignored every single question which came his way. His friends played an obvious guessing game, but Merlin wasn't going to enlighten them just yet. No… they would have to either wait or figure it out for themselves.

"Now I get it, we came here for the stone circle up ahead." It seemed Gwaine had connected the dots the moment they passed the signpost by the side of the road. The game was over even though Merlin hadn't confirmed out loud that Gwaine was right.

When the three of them stood in the centre of the circle of stones Merlin began to speak. "When I came to Camelot I had to hide a huge part of myself. I didn't know how to use my magic properly at first, but Gaius taught me a lot along the way. For years I used it in silence while I feared getting caught out. I protected Arthur, defended Camelot and even healed a few of the knights along the way. The old druid prophecies claimed I was the most powerful warlock to have walked the earth and yet in the end I was powerless. It broke my heart when I held you in my arms as you died, Arthur."

Arthur was about to speak up, but Merlin hushed him with a shake of his head. Then he looked pointedly at Gwaine. "I understand how it feels to believe that you are somehow not strong enough, or not good enough to do what is needed the most. For years I believed that I had failed my friend and King in the worst possible way. In time though I began to see all any of us can do is our best. When destiny has made her choice there is not much we can do. All we can do is try to be brave and face her head on."

Merlin saw the emotions flicker in Gwaine's eyes and when for once they weren't hastily put away he decided to push on. "What Morgana put you through was wrong. No one without the gift of magic can fight off a nathair. It is designed to push its victim beyond his limits to the point of death. There is no shame at all in the fact it pulled the truth from you. It only means that you are human. I can't begin to imagine the pain it caused you or what it did to you to break you in the end. Know though that we are both here for you when you need us."

While Arthur nodded his agreement Gwaine gave a wry grin. Before Merlin realised what Gwaine was up to and what the sudden twinkle of emotions in his eyes meant he got wrapped up in two strong arms. A whisper reached his ears, "Damn you for knowing me too well. Thanks, Merlin."

After Merlin watched Gwaine hug Arthur as well he gave his friends the answer to why he had brought them here. "Magic is long since gone from this world. I saw it die and then be forgotten. I saw druid temples being torn down, its stones taken away to build newer places which are now gone too. Druids saw the world in a way none other do. They were one with the earth, the sky, the sun and the moon. A trace of what once was is still kept in places like this one. Magic still touches these stones and it fills the air around it. To feel that power and beauty is why I visit these circles. The world may have forgotten about the old ways, but I have not."

* * *

Jack was sitting at the desk in his office when Ianto came in looking a bit dishevelled, with his sleeves rolled up and dust in his short black hair. For once even his tie was left behind somewhere. "Sir, do you have a moment?"

Smiling Jack said, "For you… always." He was amused when Ianto ignored the obvious flirt and instead asked him to follow him to the boardroom. Curious why he was interrupted he rose up to follow his lover there.

A huge pile of books laid spread out on the large table and Jack saw that Gwen was already there too. As he sat down in one of the chairs he picked up one of the books. Jack raised his eyes in surprise at the title, "Le morte d'Arthur". He looked at Ianto then with interest and eager, hoping for the news that his lover had uncovered some of the mysteries surrounding Merlin. "Did you read all of these books?" Jack stared at Ianto in awe and in the corner of his eyes he saw Gwen stare as well.

At first Ianto looked back at them both as if to say that of course he had, but then he grinned to let Jack know he toyed with them. "I read many of these sure, but not in the last week. I did however re-read a few passages that were useful for my research. The one on the far left is the most interesting one when it comes to the legends. It is written by Geoffrey of Monmouth."

"However I think you'll find these far more interesting than the books", Ianto smiled at him as Jack accepted a small pile of photographs. All were tourist photographs of ancient stone circles that Ianto had blown up a little and printed out for his friends to see. To Jack's surprise in each one he recognised Merlin standing somewhere in the back of the photograph and always on his own.

"Thanks to Google…", Ianto shrugged with a wry smile. "I think I may have found a common factor in the whereabouts of Merlin throughout the years, the druids."

Jack saw Gwen frown as she asked her question. "Druids?"

"Yeah, think about it. Magic and druids, they kind of go hand in hand. It is my believe with all that I have learned from my research that where ever Merlin brought his friends, it won't be too far away from an ancient place like these."

While Jack handed the photographs over to Gwen he asked, "How many of these stone circles are there? It can't be that many, right?"

Jack was disappointed to see Ianto roll his eyes before he answered. "By far more than we are comfortable with. They're spread wide from Cornwall all the way up to Scotland and even across the sea to Ireland. Even assuming Merlin stayed in England we have a lot of ground to cover." The list Ianto gave him was indeed quite daunting.

* * *

The next morning Gwaine got out of bed and he put on the jeans Merlin bought for him. After closing the buttons he pulled the dark blue hoodie over his head he had dropped onto the floor last evening. It was the same one he borrowed from Merlin back in Glastonbury. Since that day he had claimed the sweater as his own, and he refused to be parted from it. In spite of all the comments he got about it from Arthur it had become his favourite thing to wear.

Still yawning Gwaine headed for the kitchen and he found Merlin staring at what he had recently learned was a webpage of the internet on his laptop screen. Gwaine walked up behind the chair where his friend sat. He couldn't understand all of the modern English words just yet, for there were too many weird terms among it, but there was one word in large letters on the top of the page that stood out to Gwaine. "Passports? What are those?" His curiosity got the better of him.

"Passports are official documents which tell people who you are. It holds your identity and it is the only way these days that you can get things done. To travel abroad you need a passport and you can't cross the borders without one either. If you want to buy or rent a house, get a drivers licence and many other things like it, you need to prove you are a citizen of this country. Wait, I can show you what it looks like…" Merlin explained before he rose off his chair and walked to the dining room table where he had left his leather wallet. Gwaine saw Merlin open it and pull out a small, dark red booklet with golden letters. With a smile he accepted the booklet from his friend.

"Michael Emrys Cane, born January 1, 1986 in London." Gwaine read on the first page next to the small photo of Merlin. He frowned at the name and date. Then he suddenly realised where he heard the middle name before. Forgetting all of his other questions he asked, "That old sorcerer was you?!" When Merlin nodded with a slight smile Gwaine began to laugh. "Oh, you must have had such fun taking us four knights out like that and throwing us through the air as if we weighed nothing just because we got in your way. I don't know if I should feel offended that you piled us up and used us as a way to get on that horse, or if I should thank you for whatever it was you did behind our backs. That was… well, that was actually pretty amazing."

* * *

At that moment Merlin saw that Arthur also graced the morning with his presence. The sleep in after yesterday's long walk seemed to have done his friend some good. Arthur was smiling and he looked pretty good in the jeans and modern red shirt Merlin bought him online. He was glad to see they fitted Arthur so well, because he'd only guessed the sizes when he ordered them.

It sure was one of the blessings of this age that there were inventions like the internet and home deliveries. That way Merlin avoided having to take his two friends into a town with busy streets and a lot of 21st century inventions like cars, traffic lights and such. It saved him a lot of explanations and magical interventions. Here in Keswick he could let them get used to this time at a slow pace. That was why he'd taken them to his country cottage here. Owing a few different properties was also quite useful it seemed.

"Passports?" Merlin heard Arthur ask the question which was on Gwaine's lips earlier.

He nodded and smiled wryly while he handed Arthur his passport. "You two need one too to be able to live in this world. I am trying to find out how I can make it happen, but there are so many rules these days that make it impossible for me to just buy one. As far as this world knows you don't exist. You have no birth documents; there are no parents before you and nothing to indicate you've been in this country for the last three years."

"Can't you use magic to cheat?" Gwaine asked him with a wink.

Merlin grinned before he sobered up at the realisation there actually was no other way. "I fear I will have to. It is either cheat by falsifying birth documents and your British citizenship, or find some inventive white board criminal who falsifies documents." In Arthur's eyes he saw shock at the last bit. "Oh don't worry, Arthur. I won't go there. It is too dangerous."

For a while it was silent. Then Arthur blurted out, "Passports later. We got to have some priorities and right now my stomach votes for breakfast."

Merlin could only agree with the sentiment…


	4. ITS: Chapter three

**Chapter three**

In moments like this one Gwen missed her old friend Toshiko. Her computer system was built in such an ingenious manner to fit with the needs of the team that it could do amazing things. It could track down anything or anyone, access classified and secret files, erase all traces of Torchwood missions and handle all security matters for the Hub. Today Gwen was trying to get it to do the first. If the computers could help with the search for Merlin then it would go a lot faster than by any old fashioned means. But how could she get the network to do what needed to be done?

Engrossed in her work Gwen didn't see Ianto place a mug of coffee at her side. After a while though she smelled the lovely aroma and she said "Thank you" all the same, even though she didn't see Ianto. The Hub felt too quiet to her without Tosh and Owen. Gwen swallowed back her thoughts and returned to typing away her search patterns. Work would get her mind away from those darker days…

Gwen too forgot all about the time as she made steady progress. After a while though her stomach growled to announce the passing of the hours. Perhaps it was lunchtime now. Was Jack back from his talk with the minister yet? She hadn't heard him come in. Usually the huge rolling door and the loud alarms blaring when anyone came inside were a good sign. Had she simply not heard it or was Jack still up at the Senedd where the minister had waited for him?

A hand on her shoulder made her smile. "Jack…" The combined smell of the wool of his greatcoat and his aftershave betrayed his presence to her. So he was back after all, cheating his way inside by choosing the other more quiet entry provided by the invisible lift up in the roof. "How was the talk with the minister?"

"Oh you know. Politicians will always be politicians, no matter what time they are from. They are just no fun!" His boyish grin was followed by a roll of his eyes. "I brought us all lunch though, so it wasn't a wasted trip."

Gwen had kept her attention partly on the screen before her and suddenly she saw what she did wrong. After pressing a few more keys the computer at last started with her elaborated search. "Yes!" She shouted happily.

"What?" Jack's voice came from behind her.

Gwen turned to him and said, "I tackled the mainframe. The Hub computers are now searching for anything to do with Merlin, Gwaine and Arthur."

"Tosh's search engine? You got it going?" Upon her nod Jack smiled proudly. "That will save Ianto a lot of work. Well done you…"

At that moment the rift alarm went off. Torchwood was called into action. They didn't know yet what they would find, but that was part of the thrill. The computer told them something came out of the rift in the far north of the city. Jack grabbed the keys of the jeep while Gwen grabbed a couple of guns for herself and Ianto. Moments later the three closed the doors of the jeep behind them. Jack stepped on the gas, speeding away over the Roald Dahl Plass towards the roads leading them to the north of the city.

* * *

Merlin found that shopping for three was more fun and took far more time when Arthur and Gwaine accompanied him. Through their eyes he saw how much the world had changed. Foreign fruits from distant countries, evenly sliced bread, milk packed in plastic flasks and butter which seemed to be far less creamy then it used to be.

Some customers looked at the three shopping men with amusement and some with narrow eyes, clearly thinking all sorts of unflattering thoughts. Merlin didn't enlighten them with explanations for his friends' exited behaviour. Instead he ignored the whispers behind his back in favour of enjoying their antics. Luckily it seemed Arthur and Gwaine didn't notice the reactions amongst the crowd. They were too busy exploring the wonders of a modern day supermarket.

One of the girls helping in the store swooned when Gwaine swept the hair from his eyes so that he could as her politely where to find the pizzas. They were his most recent acquired taste ever since Merlin ordered in a few nights ago. Merlin and Arthur had been amused when Gwaine ate most of, even when the pizza had gone cold. With patience the girl showed the freezer to him. She almost fainted when Gwaine bowed to her in thanks.

After she left with a blush on her cheeks Merlin tried to explain to his friends that bowing and kissing hands were not 21st century behaviour. Chivalry had become outdated, even though there still were some men who opened doors for women. Two pairs of raised brows of disbelief told him that he would have a hard time toning down some of the old fashioned gestures ingrained into his two friends.

When Gwaine still looked upon him with wonder in his eyes Merlin realised that what he was actually asking was why the pizza was frozen solid and packed in a cardboard box. "It needs to be heated in the oven back at the cottage. I will show you how it works when we get back home."

He smiled when Gwaine dumped the pizza into the trolley and walked after Arthur to move on to the next interesting product. Freshly baked pies, oh dear! Amused Merlin pushed the trolley on. He had a feeling that the rest of the week they would live of junk food and sugary treats. By the time they got back to the car their trolley was loaded, and Merlin had paid a hefty price for a week of food. They put the bags they had filled in the trunk. Once done Merlin closed the trunk.

"I will return this… trolley", Gwaine searched for the right word. Satisfied he had found it he began to walk off, winking to them as he did. "Will be back before you miss me too much."

Merlin watched him leave with a grin. At his side he saw how Arthur shook his head at the typical manner by which Gwaine flirted with them. Then as if stung by something his friend stared at the car with a look of distrust.

"Are you still afraid of the car?" Merlin had seen the fear in his friends' eyes when he turned onto the road with the car for the first time in their presence. He only drove about forty miles per hour, trying not to go too fast in an effort for them to get used to it. All the same they both looked a bit white around the edges. Where Gwaine seemed to ease on his anxiety though it now seemed like Arthur had not adapted to the speed of the 21st century.

Merlin saw Arthur smile in spite of his feelings. His friend raked out a hand through his hair, "No… of course not." The response came automatic, but then Arthur sighed. "Oh, who am I kidding? One of those contraptions almost ran us over. It happened just after I ran into Gwaine back when we first got here. I guess our need to find you and the lack of sleep combined with our confusion at how the world changed overnight made us far less careful then usual. At some point we crossed what I now know is a road. You know those metal things which shine when the sunlight catches it?"

"Cat eyes", Merlin understood at once what Arthur described. "They are safety measures which reflect the headlights of a car to guide a driver along the bends in the road during the night."

"Well, Gwaine stumbled over one of them and he lost his footing. He was still on the tarmac when a large blue car came from out between the hedges and around the bend. It went too fast for us. Gwaine almost didn't react… and I…"

"But we are here now, yeah?" Gwaine's soft voice came from behind them. Merlin saw him sweep the hair from his eyes with a quick move of his right hand to look at Arthur with determination. "You pulled me off the road in time. Let's just forget it. We will get used to the speed of this time, I am sure."

Arthur rolled his eyes and joked away his earlier mood in favour of not appearing weak. It was a coping mechanism he had not lost through time. "Even if it kills us?"

"What else is new?" Gwaine shrugged off the remark with one of his. In his eyes though Merlin saw that the former knight had bounced back from what no doubt had been a hairy moment. In some ways Gwaine was more flexible in his emotions and ability to move on than Arthur was and always would be.

While Arthur got into the car, his body held tight, and he sat down on the passenger seat in the front of the car Merlin nodded to Gwaine. In turn his friend shrugged at the fact they both had no doubt that Arthur put up a front still. Without a word they decided to let him get away with it. At last they too got into the car to get ready for the journey back to Keswick.

To offer his two friends some reassurance Merlin showed them the seatbelts and he explained how they worked to protect both drivers and passengers. "Between these and me behind the wheel you two are safe. Trust me, I have no intentions yet of saying goodbye so soon." He smiled when the sentiment of his need to keep them close and safe met with two intent looks of similar emotions.

As he drove off Merlin decided to ignore the fact that in reality traffic accidents were sometimes inevitable and unavoidable. Far too many people died as a result of a careless moment or an outside influence like bad, winter weather. No matter how many safety measures roads were given to minimize casualties there was nothing they could do to stop accidents from happening altogether.

* * *

Jack pulled the jeep up to the side of the road. He left the flashing blue lights on each side of the front window switched on as he jumped out of the car. In a rush he ran inside the warehouse. From the corner of his eyes he checked that Ianto and Gwen still followed him close on his heels. "Split up", he signalled them with his hands which way to go. Quiet but at a spurt and with a raised gun he moved forward, checking for any intruders. By the time he reached the other side of the building he had seen nothing but crates and tools stacked up in piles. "Nothing", Gwen said when she joined him.

"Jack, over here. You may wanna check this out." Ianto's deep voice came over their earpieces.

"What is it?", Jack asked as he ran over to the right side of the warehouse where Ianto had gone off to.

"I don't know, but it is alien tech for sure…"

"Don't touch anything!" Jack warned, even though he knew it wasn't all that likely that Ianto would even try. The three of them had seen enough strange things to know that touching alien stuff without knowing what it did was dangerous. Sadly though the just over a feet tall cube of steel had other ideas. Before Jack reached Ianto he saw his lover get enveloped in a piercing blue light. With a whimper Ianto then fell to the ground. Jack stopped dead in his tracks, not wanting to trigger the device to lash out to either Gwen or himself. While he still pointed his gun at the strange metallic looking cube he held Gwen back with his left arm. "Gwen, no… be careful."

"But Ianto. We must help him, Jack. We can't just leave him lying there like that." The determination in her eyes was typical for Gwen. Jack couldn't help but admire her for trying to stay strong, like she always did in tense situations. With a nod he started circling around the device, hoping all the while that he was far away enough to stay out of its range. He felt more than saw Gwen's eyes follow his every move.

The silvery cube seemed rather dormant to Jack. For as long as it took of course. Was it reloading itself for another charge? Jack had no clue what it was or what it had done to Ianto. From the few feet of distance he called out to Ianto, urging him to wake up. With his fingers crossed on his mind Jack waited for a reaction from his lover…

For a while nothing happened. An abrupt gasp for air unexpectedly announced that Ianto awoke. On shaking legs and in a panicked haste he scrambled onto his feet. "What was that?!" He stumbled away from the cube, his every move still unsteady. When at last he was close enough for Jack to grab him he pulled him even further away from where the lump of metal still remained quiet.

Once he held Ianto in his arms he let out a breath of fading adrenaline. "Are you okay?" Jack stared into wide eyes of shock and gratitude for the support he offered. A hesitant nod told him that Ianto still felt shaken, but he was fine in every other way which mattered. "What happened?"

His question met with a confused shrug. "I don't know. I saw a blue light and then I woke up lying on the ground."

Jack narrowed his eyes. Nothing of this made any sense to him. When he saw that Ianto began to shiver he took off his greatcoat and wrapped it around his lover's shoulders. "We better get you to the Hub and check you over. Just to make sure you are still you." To get rid of some of the tension Jack winked, but he knew neither one of the two others in the building bought his play at confidence.

Before they could leave however the cube sprung back to life. This time a red light lit up the warehouse, but it remained pulsing at a soft glow. Jack saw it spread out its beam, wider and wider. What was going on now? He saw the growing worry in his friends' eyes too. Luckily they all stayed awake this time.

"Planet: Earth. Race: human. Gender: male. Your name is Ianto Jones." A metallic boomed from the cube.

"What are you?" Jack felt a little startled at the accurate description as well as the sign of intelligence, not that he let his feelings show to his friends. His voice was as sure as ever.

"This is space module 45293. I was send to gather data from the universe for the army of Zogania. By scanning your impractical form I learned all there is to know, including your primitive language. Earth will stand down to our force. Be ready for invasion of the one race of perfection."

"What, just like that? Why?"

Gwen's panicked question didn't get an answer. The light faded as the cube started to hum, louder and louder. Jack knew it was trying to get back to where ever Zogania was. He'd never heard of the planet, but he knew it could not be anything good. If the cube made it back home they were in trouble. "It's a scout. Stand aside, shield your eyes." Jack warned his friends before he aimed his gun and shot at the cube a few times…


	5. ITS: Chapter four

**Chapter four**

The landscape of the Lake District offered a stunning background. Every time Merlin brought his friends outside and into the country side they enjoyed themselves. The view over Derwent Water was quite beautiful today. The calm, bright blue water glistened in the sunshine. Merlin was happy that he'd given in to Arthur's plea to go out for a ride.

After all the headache that was faking documents Merlin finally found the copies he needed to arrange passports for Arthur and Gwaine in the mailbox. He still felt guilty about cheating, but he knew that it was his only way. After all, how could he explain to anyone that his friends were born in Camelot many centuries ago? So now they were born in modern day England. That is, as far as the world of today was concerned.

An additional challenge was that his friends both asked him with passion if they at least could keep their first names. After everything which they had lost they weren't ready to part with the one thing they believed they could keep, their names. Merlin understood their reasons for the request and so he accepted it. Well, at least Arthur was quite a common name these days. But how few people in this world shared the name Gwaine? Merlin hoped it would not come back to haunt them that it was a rare name…

Tomorrow he would fill in the passport request forms and then he'd post them to the IPS (Identity and Passport Service). With a bit of luck all of the documents he had collected were enough for the bureaucrats who worked there and they'd accept his applications. Merlin knew that it would take at least six more weeks until Arthur and Gwaine would be able to collect their passports at one of the service points.

Merlin was pulled back into the moment when Gwaine called out, "Stop here". His friend reined in his horse and dismounted in a flash. With his brand new camera in his hand he ran up to a higher lying point in the field. Merlin smiled when Gwaine looked towards the lake through his lens. It was his hope that he could awake new interests in his friends. Arthur so far hadn't found anything which caught his attention. Merlin had a feeling he was just enjoying not being a King with responsibilities for his people for a while.

Gwaine however was easily persuaded to pick up a hobby. From the moment he learned about photography he was interested in its possibilities. The digital camera he brought with him today was his latest buy; or rather it was Merlin's latest buy. Which reminded him that bank accounts were next on his to do list… after the passports.

"Oh no, I recognize that frown. Will you stop thinking about all the boring stuff which lies in wait for us back home?" Arthur cut into his next train of thought.

In spite of himself Merlin grinned. "If I don't think of it then who will?"

"The beauty of Sundays is that no one will have to. You said it yourself that all offices are closed today." Arthur shrugged before he spurred on Gwaine. "Come on, mate. Let's get a move on. I thought you wanted to go by the tavern, uh pub for a good roast." Merlin saw Arthur accent his last two words by showing with two fingers of each hand that he quoted Gwaine's own words back at him. It was a move he'd picked up from watching television.

To his amusement Gwaine came running back with a wide smile. "Keep your shirt on princess."

Merlin laughed while Arthur rolled his eyes before he spurred on his horse. "Just try and catch up you two." Not before long the three were riding fast across the fields, enjoying a suddenly brought on competition to see who made it back to the main road first.

* * *

The cube lay shattered on the warehouse floor. The bullets from Jack's gun had torn it apart in several large pieces of circuit boards and wiring. Jack let go of the breath he had held in his anger. No one attacked Ianto and got away with it. As his anger faded he turned around to face Gwen and Ianto. To his shock Ianto looked even paler now. He still smiled back to Jack though when he remarked, "At least we won't become Zoganians. That name alone…" Ianto pretend shuddered at the way it sounded.

Jack nodded before his leader instinct kicked in. "Gwen, grab a bag and gather what is left of that thing. We need to examine it back at the Hub." He had barely spoken when he grabbed Ianto by the shoulders to guide him back to the jeep. "Let's get you inside the car and crank up the heating. I am sure it is nothing more than shock." Jack ignored both the tiny voice in his mind that disagreed with him and the look in Ianto's eyes that clearly said, _"When are we ever that lucky?"_

Moments later Gwen dropped the bag filled with shards of the cube in the trunk. With a loud bang she closed the door on the trunk, making Jack wince at the sound. Then she sat down in the passenger seat. Jack watched her look at Ianto and he smiled when they both realised that Ianto was looking much better. Maybe their mission was going to end well after all. Without a second glance he drove off.

Once back in the Hub the bag with the cube in it was dropped unceremoniously on a table. They would look at in more detail tomorrow. For now the danger was evaded and Jack was happy when they all sat around his desk, drinking coffee. "So why do you think it threatened us?" Gwen suddenly asked him. Jack smiled to himself. Only Gwen needed answers for all the why's in the world. Sometimes it was easy to see the part of her that used to be a police constable.

"Universal domination?" Ianto offered. "Money, greed and all that is wrong on this planet too. Maybe it works for a terrorist group."

Jack smiled at Ianto's dry list of probabilities. They all knew they'd probably never learn the truth, but he had a feeling that it could indeed be simple greed or power. "Maybe it just dislikes the Welsh." Jack risked the wrath of his two friends.

He wasn't all that surprised when Gwen smacked him upside the head while Ianto looked at him with a mock stern look before he said. "I guess you'll be on your own tonight then." Having spoken he grabbed the coffee mugs to set out for a hasty retreat. To Jack's shock however his lover stumbled and with shaking hands he dropped the gathered mugs on the floor.

In a flash Jack was at his lover's side. With both hands he steadied Ianto before he lowered him onto the desk chair which Gwen rolled over to them. "Ianto?" He then asked.

Ianto shook his head. "I don't feel so well, Jack. What's going on?" Panic crept into the small voice just before Ianto fainted.

Jack lifted Ianto into his arms. "I better take him to the infirmary. Gwen, call Martha over at UNIT and ask her if she can come over. Until we know what it is that made Ianto fall ill so fast we can't risk taking him to a hospital. Martha will know what to do." The last few words were shouted over his shoulder as he made his way down from his office. Worried Jack headed for the infirmary. What had happened to Ianto? Would he make it?

* * *

Many miles up north from Cardiff life was far easier going. Arthur had won the horse race across the fields and he was being way too pleased with himself. To their dismay Merlin and Gwaine had to listen to him brag in what was left of their Sunday. Not even their visit to the pub for a roast stopped him.

Some of their newfound friends in the pub were laughing along with some of their weird adventures. Even though Merlin saw in their eyes that not all of it made sense to them. The ones listening were engaged regardless because of the way Gwaine told his stories. Merlin was amused to see that the former knight hadn't lost his old touch to charm people, no matter what age or gender. It didn't take long until a group of people had gathered around them.

Merlin enjoyed eating his first good meal since the impulsive shopping streak. Junk food tasted good, but only for so long. Luckily his friends agreed once they tasted the steak used for the Sunday roast. Next time they were to go shopping they would listen to his advice, or so they promised. Merlin didn't put too much faith in it, but it didn't matter. One day they were bound to learn.

In the end they had sat in the pub for over two hours. With their bellies full and their heads pleasantly buzzing from the red wine they drank the three friends said their goodbyes to everyone in the pub. Walking back home together was the perfect end to a lazy Sunday. Merlin had even forgotten about his list filled with all the things he needed to take care of. It seemed Keswick had embraced their presence. Finally Merlin dared to believe that Arthur and Gwaine were well on their way to become a part of the 21st century.

* * *

It was late in the evening when the entry door to the Hub rolled open. Alarms blared, but Jack didn't hear them. He was sitting at Ianto's bedside in the infirmary. Only a minute ago he was pacing and after a few seconds of sitting down he was already so lost in his thoughts that he rose back onto his feet. Back to his pacing he suddenly heard the door open behind him. He turned towards the sound and was glad to see Gwen had brought Martha with her. Without a word he wrapped her in a hug, while Gwen left them to it.

"Ianto?" She asked. "How is he doing?" All Jack could do was shrug. In truth he had no clue how his lover was doing. Ever since Ianto fainted he'd barely opened his eyes.

Marta moved away from him to walk over to the bed. While she did she began asking all the practical questions a doctor asked. "How long has he been out since he woke up last? Have you given him anything? Does he have any pain?" Jack saw her gently lift the lids of Ianto's eyes. She looked into the orbs with a penlight and started grabbing paper to write a few things down. "Gwen told me what happened. I need to see that cube later."

"Everything you need." Jack said with a smile before he answered her questions. Martha nodded to him before she turned her full focus onto Ianto. Not knowing what to do Jack watched her work for a while. Once more she looked his way and promised, "I will come to you as soon as I am done here."

Jack nodded and then kissed Ianto on his cheek. At the door he paused. "Take care of him for me, Martha."

"Of course I will."

With hesitation Jack left Martha to do her job. He walked into the Hub and saw that Gwen was staring at the computer screens. Even now Tosh's computers were still running the elaborate search on Merlin. At the moment however Jack didn't care all that much about finding the mysterious man. His thoughts were with Ianto only. The younger man had gotten under his skin far deeper then Jack believed. All the time he had tried to keep his distance, but it seemed he failed. If he was honest to himself he loved Ianto. The thought made him happy and miserable all at once. Love, it only meant he would lose again…


	6. ITS: Chapter five

**Chapter five**

To everyone's dread Martha had to admit after her full examination that she did not know what was wrong with Ianto. The next day was spent trying to search frantically for a cure. Jack watched Martha picking apart what was left of the cube for a while. Where she was eager at first to get some answers Jack did not miss how her mood switched to frustration and then worry. Not even when they put all of their efforts together and they used some of Owen's medical equipment to scan the cube could they find the so much needed answers within. All they learned was the technical side of how the blasted thing worked. Why the scan had caused Ianto to fall ill remained a mystery.

Frustrated Jack had given up. Unable and unwilling to face more disappointments he returned to Ianto's side. He talked to him in the hope Ianto could hear his mumbled, "I am sorry".

Jack didn't cry often, but he must have shed a few tears before Martha came to bring him some tea. She looked at him with a sad smile. "I never thought I would live to see the day when you loved someone in that way. I mean, other then him." At the last word she pointed up into the air to suggest that she meant the Doctor.

In spite of himself Jack grinned. "Sometimes I think that the year which never happened was a good thing. You and I, we both have moved on without him because of it." Martha nodded and she too smiled wryly. "Strange how that is. We've seen the end of the world, I watched my parents get hurt and had to walk away to walk the Earth alone. You had to die, oh so many times on board the Valiant just to buy the Doctor and me time."

"Ah, but we won. Earth is safe, our home is safe." Jack's proud remark met with no more than a smile. "You are a hero Martha. Don't you ever forget that." He hugged her and kissed her on the top of her head before he turned back to Ianto. "I was tempted to go and travel with the Doctor afterwards, but I had Torchwood. It was what kept me here; or rather it is Ianto who kept me here." Jack shook his head at his own sentimentality. "Don't ever tell anyone that though, I won't live it down." He laughed when she smiled at his effort to lighten the mood.

They drank their teas in silence, both lost in their unpleasant memories of the year they spent with the Doctor. A year filled with pain and with struggles. The Doctor had faced his all time nemesis and it had been a long, difficult path to beat the enemy. Just like the Doctor the Master was a Time Lord, however he'd gone insane and put everyone around him through his ingenious, but evil plan. In one year The Master had taken the world apart and put humanity through the worst. The day they beat him time had reset itself in such a manner that only those in the eye of the storm remembered what happened. As far as the rest of the world? Well, they had forgotten it all, because to them none of the awful events had come to pass.

Jack remembered every time he died at the hands of The Master, who in his crazy mind had taken enjoyment out of the fact that he couldn't die. It wasn't the pain then either which plagued Jack. His every other thought was with his team instead. They were sent on a wild goose chase and for all he knew they died terrible deaths in the year which had not come to pass for them. Luckily his team never recalled it happening and their breaths of life had never stopped. But Jack wasn't so lucky. He recalled the torture, the sadness and his raw grief of losing them even when they lived. It sure was strange how the life of a time traveller worked…

* * *

On Tuesday morning Merlin found himself waking up in an empty cottage. The three of them had decided last evening that they wanted and maybe even needed to spend some time apart. It would be just one day of space and some time alone to think. Gwaine wanted to take some photographs of the area and he planned to go outside early that morning to capture the 'world awaking'. Arthur decided to explore the modern world from the saddle, to ride through the fields surrounding Keswick and then to go further beyond them to expand his horizon. Merlin had asked both of his friends to return in time for dinner and they agreed. It was Gwaine's turn to learn something more about cooking.

Merlin picked up his to do list from the table and he stared at it in disgust. The last thing he wanted to do was deal with official stuff and boring forms today. Maybe he would read a book or he could spend some time just enjoying the silence? It was strange. After all the weeks together with Arthur and Gwaine he'd already forgotten how to be alone, even after all the many centuries he walked the Earth without them. Right now the house was far too quiet without their presence. It was almost like he could feel the wound on his heart remember the grief of before. No! Merlin bit back down on his emotions, because it was too soon to mourn. Arthur and Gwaine would be home soon enough. He had to let go… to give them space to adjust.

With his mug of coffee in his hand Merlin stepped outside into the small garden. It was a real mess now that it was neglected for so long. Swallowing what was left of his coffee in one huge gulp Merlin set the mug down on the table. Maybe if he kept busy he wouldn't have to think for a day.

In spite of his determination to see it through Merlin worried about his friends out there on their own. In the past Arthur and Gwaine would have been more than capable of taking care of themselves, no matter the situation, and instead they often watched out for him. However in this century all he had done was be at their side and guide them through the many changes.

Merlin shook his head at himself. His mother once told him how hard it was to let him walk off to Camelot to start his new life. He thought he understood what she meant back then. Now of course he knew better. It was more difficult than anything to set someone free and to watch them find their path into the future. Letting go of loved ones hurt more than anything else… even more so when he cared so deep for them that it tore him apart just to not have them near.

Ignoring his worries and pangs of the past he had not quite gotten over Merlin started pulling out some of the weeds. Not before long he was trimming some bushes and the garden began to look a little better for it. He threw off his sweater as the sun rose higher. The distraction actually started to work! Merlin grabbed another strong coffee and a sandwich by the time it was lunch. When he started to think again he shook his head and went back to work to distract himself from the worries he had no proper reasons for other than his foolish old heart.

After a while a more than welcome voice interrupted his endeavour to resurrect the garden from its ruined state. "Wow! Someone has been busy." To his joy Merlin snapped his head around to find Gwaine leaning against one of the posts that held up the fence. His hair was tied in a loose ponytail on the back of his head, to keep his hair from falling over the lens of his camera. The nonchalant look suited him.

"Are you just going to stand there?"

Gwaine shook his head before he laid his camera down on the table with care. Then he rolled up the sleeves of his plaid shirt. "Show me where to start and what to take out. What?" Gwaine said when he caught his wide smile.

"I am just glad you came back home early." Too pleased to have company again Merlin admitted the truth. He protested without any real meaning behind it when Gwaine ruffled his hair with fondness in his eyes. Then he showed Gwaine what to do. Soon they were both hard at work, chatting along the way.

* * *

Back in Cardiff and down in the Hub the door to the infirmary burst open, shaking both Jack and Martha from their thoughts. "Jack!" It was clear to him Gwen was excited about something. "It worked. The computers, they found Merlin."

Jack looked at her with confusion. Sure he wanted to find the guy at some point, but what did the search matter now with Ianto down?

"Ianto believes that Merlin has magic. What if he can help us heal him?" She answered his confused stare and ignored Martha in her enthusiasm.

Jack narrowed his eyes at her words. He still had trouble believing what Merlin had done was magic. His mind was far too logical to believe in superstitions and sorcery. Maybe Merlin just had a device of some sort that could transport him to another location. Something just like his wrist band, which was really a vortex manipulator. Thanks to the Doctor it didn't work anymore, but what if Merlin had one that worked? That was his main idea for now. Still… he hadn't wanted to burst the bubble for Ianto and Gwen, so he stayed quiet. "Gwen…" Jack started to explain.

Before he could finish the thought Gwen waved him off. "No, don't you dare say it is alien intervention or superstition or whatever. I won't have it, Jack. Please, just let me go and check it out. There is nothing I can do for Ianto by staying here anyway. I can't just sit still and do nothing. If Merlin says 'no' then we are no worse off, but what if maybe there is something he can do?"

She trailed off when Jack nodded his consent. Then she hugged him. "Thanks, Jack." Just like that she was out of the door again, leaving Jack behind with mixed feelings. He hoped with all of his heart that Gwen wouldn't be too disappointed when it turned out Merlin turned out to be nothing more than another normal human being.

* * *

Once Gwen made up her mind there was not much anyone could do to make her change it. At first it had caused trouble between Gwen and hear teammates, but in the end it had become that strong willed part of her which drove Torchwood forwards. As such Jack no longer objected to it, well that was unless he was even more stubborn in his actions. But when it came to Ianto not even Jack would stop her from trying the impossible, no matter how foolish he thought her to be.

Next man to win over of course was Rhys. Gwen would not dream of doing it alone. She placed the call to her husband then and smiled after she hung up to his, "I'm on my way." It seemed he too understood what moved her to be so resolute in her need to help Ianto, who had become a friend to him too. As she walked to the jeep and got inside she smiled over how accepted and loved he made her feel.

Only last year Rhys had learned the half-truth of her working for Special Ops at the local Police force actually meant that Gwen was a part of Torchwood. Instead of chasing criminals she in fact went after aliens and by doing so she risked her life on a frequent basis. At first the truth had caused trouble between them, but in the end he stood by her like she stood by him. Their wedding day was a bit rough due to alien distractions, but not even near death had turned their love apart. In fact the mayhem had driven them closer together.

At times like these with Ianto so gravely ill Rhys didn't question Gwen too much. He just was there for her in every way that he could, which made her love him even more. Gwen hadn't told Rhys though that the man she was on her way to find was a sorcerer and that she hoped it was his magic which would cure Ianto. It all was too strange for words, even for Torchwood… so how could she hope to explain on the telephone?

Still, in her heart Gwen was determined to believe that Merlin was really a magician. If he was as powerful as legends claimed then maybe he was their only chance. No matter how slim the chance she had to try, for failure was not an option. To lose another team member and friend so soon after Tosh and Owen would break her heart beyond repair. She didn't even dare to think what it would do to Jack…

The online route planner had estimated that Keswick was a three hundred miles drive. Driving at the legal speed in normal traffic it would take her four hours and fifty minutes, or so the planner calculated for her. Gwen hoped that she could take at least half an hour off that time. If need be she'd turn on the flashing blue lights which suggested she was of the police. Anything to get help as fast as she could.

At two in the afternoon Gwen sat down in the driver's seat of the Torchwood jeep. Jack did not allow her to drive most of the time, but now he wasn't there to complain about her less reckless speed to wrap the car around the bends. Geez, that man was a hazard sometimes! Setting aside her thoughts in favour of concentrating on driving Gwen stepped on the gas, and began her journey.

Gwen met Rhys at the side of the water tower on top of the Hub. The security cameras had already told her earlier that he was there, waiting for things to come and impatient to talk to her no doubt. After she stopped the door of the jeep opened and Rhys stepped in. He threw his bag with the sandwiches onto the backseat and got in. The door thudded shut behind him. Then twisting in the passenger seat a little he kissed her on the cheek.

Before Rhys could even put his seatbelt on Gwen started the powerful engine of the jeep and she pushed hard on the gas. With screeching tires she turned off the Roald Dahl Plass, heading for the fastest route to the M4 to get out of Wales. "England, here come the Welsh. Be ready." Rhys warned with a joke to the world at his understanding of Gwen's urgency.


	7. ITS: Chapter six

**Chapter six**

To Arthur there was nothing like the freedom of travelling on horseback. The few times when he sat in the car and watched Merlin steer their way across the countryside along the roads it felt unsatisfying to him. The world passed by the windows too fast for Arthur to take in his new surroundings. He needed to feel the elements around him, like the sun on his face or the wind blowing into his hair as it did today. Here in the wide open air it smelled like humid soil, grass and flowers. That was far better to him then the confined feel and the awful smell of the car. Not to mention that he still did not trust the machine. It had the power to kill as far as he was concerned, and it put the fear in him. For some reason he could not get passed the image of how close he came losing Gwaine to one…

Arthur steered his horse through known territory as fast as he dared. The thrilling gallop made him feel alive again. In the last few hours he had felt more like his old self than ever since he came to this century. This century… it still stunned him that so much time had passed in a matter of what felt like days to him. The way Camelot got snapped away from him in a blip of time made him feel as if part of his heart was ripped out. For his entire life he had known nothing else than it. He fought for his people and protected it with every fibre of his being. To be left without such a cause and without the love of his people, including his friends, was just too much to bear at times.

Thankfully even now in this time and age Merlin was the one who grounded him and stopped him from losing himself to his grief. While there was a new confidence to his old friend and a change somewhere deep within, Arthur could still count on him to be honest. It was even better between them now that there were no secrets left and that they were equals. Losing his royal status was strange at first, but lately Arthur began to realise that it gave him a freedom he never had before. No one looked up to him to make the tough decisions, no one needed him to lead the way and no one asked him to sit in boring council meetings.

The true surprise in it all had been Gwaine. From the moment Arthur opened his eyes to a new time Gwaine was there. Silent and strong; relentless even in their shared need to find Merlin and make sure he was alright too. Even while Gwaine was torn apart inside he put Arthur together. No one in life could push him as hard as the former knight did. It was only because of him that they made it to Glastonbury Tor and they weren't still lost in the fields of southern England somewhere.

In his first day here and now he began to see that beyond the live for the moment attitude Gwaine was afraid to be left alone and to let others down. The brave front hid a far more intelligent man than he had given his friend credit for. Arthur felt lucky when he realised that behind all the words and the pretend insults between them was a deep friendship, which grew even deeper as the days passed. Equality it seemed did a lot of good for all three of them.

Sure Arthur would never forget his past, but with their help he was starting to heal. He could already think in fondness of Guinevere without bursting into tears or feel his heart break all over again. He still missed her more than anyone, but the pain of losing her and knowing that she had to move on with another man by her side did not tear into him like it did when Merlin first told him. In fact he felt like he could learn to live with it, in fact part of him already began to do so.

It made Arthur proud now when he thought of his widowed wife, and of the senior knight he left behind. Gwen and Leon had always been close after all. If he trusted any man to watch out for her… aside from Merlin, of course… then it was Leon. The more he thought about it the less it hurt to think of her finding happiness after his death. She had been too good a person to be forever clad in black and to live on alone.

One time Gwaine even managed to make him laugh when he found the courage to tell Arthur how she'd rejected him all those years ago because even then she only had eyes for Arthur. The truth behind the joke had touched him though. Gwen has always been loyal, and she had loved him as deep as he did her. He had not been aware he had shed a tear in memory until Gwaine hugged him and he stopped teasing. It had been a rare moment of understanding between them, and for once they had not squashed their emotions off to the side in favour of pretending to be strong. No, it had shown them both that friendship sometimes meant not to hide.

So why was he out here alone? Freedom was one thing and space to think too, but out here on his own he missed his friends' endless chattering and the banter between all three of them. His thoughts had gone far too sombre for his liking without them there to interrupt him from mulling of the past. In all honesty Arthur had to admit, even if only to himself, that quests were no fun alone. Adventures were there to be shared with friends who had your back. Without a second thought Arthur tugged on the reins to steer his horse around. With a sharp kick of his heels he spurred it on to take the path back home at a fierce pace.

Deep down he knew that he was still the same man. Royal status or not he was a leader and a fighter amongst men. So why let Merlin do all the hard work? Arthur decided he had to take the weight off his friend's shoulders. It no longer felt right to surrender control like this. Not that he didn't trust Merlin, no it was quite the opposite in fact, but he needed to take charge of his life again and feel like he was going somewhere.

* * *

By the time Arthur returned home the sun was lowering in the sky. Merlin and Gwaine were covered in dirt and soil by then, but they cared nothing about the way they looked. They felt quite satisfied about their hard work. The small patch of ground around the cottage had become a garden again, its plants risen from beyond the weeds which had gone altogether. Looking at the time on his watch Merlin was quite pleased when he realised Arthur that had come home early too, just like Gwaine. Maybe his friends were every bit as reluctant as he was to spend the day alone after all.

The instant Merlin spotted Arthur he saw there was a change to him. Later he would realise it was in that moment the King came back, but in the moment itself he just smiled when Arthur walked into the garden. "Wow, am I even at the right place? Tell me who you are and what you have done to that lazy servant of mine over the last dozen of centuries or so."

Merlin grinned at the mirth in Arthur's eyes and the way he hinted at passed times with a mock arrogant smile of superiority. For a second he could just hear the annoying shout of his name, echoing in an empty castle hallway. The memory faded as fast as it came to him though. He smiled too when Arthur could not quite hold onto his stern attitude.

"I put him out of his misery with magic. All it took was one spell. Don't tell the King though." Merlin said in his mock serious voice. He laughed when he saw that Arthur wanted to say something, but didn't really know how to and just grinned instead.

"Mate, you should have used your magic on the garden and be done with it." Gwaine joked with an understanding wink.

Merlin just shrugged to him with a wry smile. What was the point of explaining that he still preferred to take his time with chores? In all truth part of him had enjoyed being Arthur's servant in the past and that side of him was still alive. Another part of him just needed to keep busy when he worried or found his memories straying back to the many troubled experiences he lived through over the centuries. Where could he even begin to explain what it meant to live forever? Instead of finding the words for his feelings he swallowed them back.

"Come on, we are done for the day." Ignoring the scrutiny of his two friends Merlin walked off into the house with the excuse that it was time to help Gwaine make dinner. In the corner of his eyes he saw Arthur and Gwaine share a look, but he pretended that he didn't. It was easier for now if he kept quiet…

* * *

According to her watch four hours had passed when Gwen pulled off the motorway to take the A-road which would lead them to Keswick. They had needed so stop along the way for petrol and a few basic human needs, but luckily there were no traffic delays on their route. Gwen felt quite pleased with herself when she realised that she'd taken a good chunk of the estimated time of the route planner.

The first few hours of the way she had told Rhys everything that had happened. From the cube to the weird scan and then Ianto falling ill. On a whim Gwen then decided she needed to be honest with her husband. She had told him all about the mysterious three men in Glastonbury, about everything Ianto had shared with her about the legends of King Arthur and his belief that Merlin had magic.

"Magic?" Rhys looked at her with a mixture of disbelief and his usual sense of humour, "Are you kidding? That is why we drove for five hours?"

Gwen smiled wryly before she told Rhys all about the old photograph and Ianto's search. "This morning the computers came up with clear results. It found two birth certificates which were recently added even though they claimed to be there for years. Then there were two passport applications, one for an Arthur and one for, wait for it, Gwaine. How many men named Gwaine are there in the world do you think? Even better was that a person named Michael Emrys Cane filed these. Did you know Emrys means immortal in Welsh? It also is another name by which Merlin is known in the legends. His postal code lead me to Keswick and just outside of this town lays a stone circle. These are more than mere coincidences, Rhys."

"Gee, remind me not to hide from Torchwood. It just isn't worth the bloody effort", Rhys remarked in a dry tone of voice. They both grinned at the truth of his reaction. Right then Gwen knew that he would stand by her, taking the strangeness in his stride if that was what she needed him to do.

When she pulled the jeep over to the side of the street in front of a pale white cottage with brown window sills she looked at Rhys for support. "Here goes nothing. I better go in alone, so they won't be too overwhelmed. Wish me luck." Gwen rudely pushed down her nerves and last minute doubts. Then she stepped out of the jeep with determination. It was time to face the man of legends.

* * *

With the door to the garden open and the afternoon sunlight shining inside through the windows the kitchen was the best place of the house to be. While it was Gwaine's turn to cook Merlin instead persuaded him to upload his photographs onto the laptop. Arthur had joined Gwaine at the table while Merlin chopped the vegetables at the kitchen dresser. He had his back turned to them and so he didn't see at first that Arthur had brought the to-do-list with him.

"This list of yours is way too long for one man. Starting today you will let me help you with it."

The out of the blue announcement made Merlin turn around. "But you don't know how this world of bureaucracy works."

"Then you will have to teach me." Arthur rose onto his feet. Merlin saw him nod to Gwaine before he continued, "Teach _us_ , Merlin. You have carried the burden for this household for long enough. Let us try and help you where we can. It is about time we took our lives back into our hands. I for one am ready for it."

Merlin saw Gwaine rise onto his feet. "As am I." His friend had barely spoken when the laptop gave a small sound. On its screen the uploaded photographs showed up in the windows explorer folder Gwaine had created. "See, even the laptop agrees." He joked with a smile of pride.

In answer to his reaction Merlin raised his hands in a gesture of defeat. "Alright, I give in. You two can help me, but…"

The doorbell ended Merlin's train of thought on his objections. He almost never heard it ring and so today the sound made him jump. Who would it be? His neighbours knew to leave them be. Was this a stranger? Before he got the chance to react he saw Gwaine walk over to the door. His friend opened it to reveal the dark haired woman they all thought was left behind in Glastonbury. "Gwen?"

"I am sorry to disturb you all, but…" Gwen pushed passed Gwaine to get inside of the house. Merlin saw her falter for a second before she regained her confidence and looked him in the eye with determination. "Merlin, I have a favour to ask of you. Maybe I have no right to do so, but we are at our wits end. Ianto has fallen seriously ill and we don't know what it is we are dealing with. I can't lose another friend. If it is true that you have magic can you please come to Cardiff to try and save him?"


	8. ITS: Chapter seven

**Chapter seven**

To her surprise Gwen saw Arthur pull back a chair for her. He gestured for her to have a seat at the same time Merlin said, "Come and sit down. Tell me how you've found us and what is wrong with your friend. Ianto, right? I need to know more before I can make any sort of decision."

She raised her eyebrow at the way the two men seemed to be on the same wavelength. Apparently Gwaine noticed her unspoken amusement for he shrugged to her as if to say, "Oh, that's just them."

After Merlin sat down in the chair next to hers Gwen explained to him how the Torchwood computers could find any digital trail left behind. At the fact Gwaine's name stood out in the documents it found she saw the handsome knight wince. None of the three men said a word though and so she continued by telling them about the encounter with the alien cube made out of metal and a foreign technology not even Torchwood had a clue about.

"Ianto didn't even touch the cube nor did he threaten it. He only waited for us to check it out too. We saw it scan him and then Ianto fell unconscious for a short while. Back in the Hub he regained his strength, but when we thought he'd be alright again he suddenly fainted. The last time I called Jack he told me that Ianto hasn't woken up since I left. It seems like every organ in his body is shutting down. Our doctor Martha has no clue about what's wrong and it turns out that she can't help him…" Gwen looked at Merlin in the hope that he now understood how desperate her request was.

"You think I am your last chance. Do you even believe in magic?"

She smiled before she answered him in all honesty. "I have seen too many strange things happen in this world to dismiss it off hand. I am not sure though. Ever since I saw the three of you disappear into thin air I have to admit I have a feeling Ianto is right to believe in magic."

Merlin raised his hand and then he closed his fingers into a fist. Unsure of what he was doing Gwen stared at the fist. Slowly he released it to reveal a small flame burning on the palm of his hand. Stunned she touched it to find to her amazement its warmth was real. While she quickly pulled her hand away she heard the other two men grin at her reaction of instinct. Before she watched the flame die she caught Merlin's eyes. Was there a hint of a golden glow in them?

* * *

With a smile Merlin allowed for his magic to kill the flame on his palm. After all these years the gift of lighting a fire came as easy to him as breathing. He no longer needed to cast a spell with the old English word forbearnan. Instead he just thought it to call a flame to life. To see the wonder in Gwen's eyes where others before her were only scared warmed his heart. It seemed she had an open mind and her heart was surely in the right place. Had he been too hasty to dismiss Jack's help?

Merlin looked up when Arthur pushed himself away from the door post he had leaned against. His friend stepped forwards with the confident of old. So far he stayed in the background, but Merlin recognized it as Arthur's way of gathering all the details he needed to know before he made his decision. In the old days as a King he'd done the same thing. "If Gwen accepts that the three of us will _only_ come together then we must go, Merlin. Your magic may be Ianto's best chance to survive this strange illness. Magic or not, I have known you for long enough to know that you will regret it if you don't give it a try."

While Gwaine nodded and smiled his support Merlin turned back to Gwen. "I hate to say it, but Arthur here is right. I will come to Cardiff with you to see what I can do for your sick friend. There is no guarantee that I can heal him though, but know I will try my best to help him."

Gwen let out a no doubt tense breath. "I will clear it with Jack, but quite frankly he has no choice. All three of you can come along, if that is what it takes. Do you have a car or…" She let her sentence trail off; indicating that she thought Merlin could just transport himself to Cardiff with magic.

"I am afraid we need to travel by conventional means on this trip. The three of us will take my car and we can follow you all the hundreds of miles there." When Arthur frowned in confusion Merlin offered the wry truth, "I can't use the transport spell to go to places without any sort of link to the old ways. I need the magic present still in certain locations to guide me or I may end up in the middle of the ocean or something similarly awkward. There is a good reason why I chose Keswick."

"Would that reason be the stone circle just outside town, which was build by the druids even before your time?" Understanding dawned on Gwen's mind while Merlin nodded. "So it is true. Ianto figured it all out. He found all these photographs of ancient stone circles with you somewhere in them. Throughout the years people recorded your presence… so, you were really there? Did you always travel in that way?"

Merlin smiled at her eager to understand a mystery. No wonder Jack had recruited her for his team. Torchwood; that was their name. For a moment Merlin thought he'd seen the name elsewhere, but he couldn't remember where. While it bugged him he at the same time realised it didn't matter. Right now he had to help a very sick man…

His thoughts on secrets and hidden pasts shattered when Arthur began to call out orders. "We better waste no more time sitting here then if Cardiff is so far away. Gwen, we will meet you outside. Maybe you can call that captain of yours to let him know we are coming. It gives us some time to pack for a few days and to arrange for something to eat along the way. We will be outside, let's say in about ten minutes."

After Gwen closed the front door behind her Merlin turned to his two friends. "Are you both sure you want to come? It is a long drive and I have to go much faster than I ever did in your presence."

Despite the fear in his eyes Arthur nodded, "So be it. I won't let you do this alone."

"The same goes for me. Both of us will stand by your side all the way, whether you like us to be or not." Gwaine nodded to Merlin with a wink and then more serious he nodded to Arthur as well. It was a gesture which conveyed their now stronger friendship than ever. Though Merlin was pleased to see it he at the same time wondered how long it would take them to begin seeing how he still hid from closeness out of fear of getting hurt again. It seemed silly really after waiting so long, but there it was…

Now though was not a time to reflect or do anything but jump into action. While Arthur packed a bag for the three of them and Gwaine raided the fridge for a makeshift dinner Merlin grabbed the car keys and an old roadmap of Great Britain from the bookshelves. It wasn't detailed, but the major roads were all he needed. Quickly he opened it to search for the most likely route Gwen was to take down to Cardiff. He liked to have some clue, even if only because of the fact he felt responsible for dragging Gwaine and Arthur in an adventure before they were used to the 21st century life.

Fifteen minutes later they joined Gwen outside. To Merlin's surprise she had brought her husband with her. The Welsh man named Rhys accepted all the strangeness with remarkable ease and a joke. "No grey beard or a pointy hat, now that's another myth down the drain."

While his friends snorted Merlin pretended to look undignified before he shook the man's hand. "I am sorry. I left my beard and hat back in the dark ages."

Laughing at the obvious joke everybody stepped in the two cars. The three friends closed the doors of Merlin's modest car behind them. With Arthur in the passenger seat and Gwaine on the backseat it almost felt like old times to Merlin. The 21st century may not call a road trip a quest, but it felt that way all the same. He knew what they set out to do was something good. All Merlin prayed for was that his healing spells would be powerful enough to save Ianto…

* * *

Gwen checked the rearview mirror to see if Merlin was still following her. At first her relentless speed seemed to be too fast for him, but the further they drove south the better he managed to follow. They had driven over two and a half hours now and she was happy to see that he was still in the lane behind her. Relieved she turned on the blue lights once more, so they could get through a busier stretch of motorway in the Birmingham area. Still about a hundred miles left to go and now that it was evening it was slowly getting dark…

After a day of driving Gwen began to feel the strain of it. Yet she wasn't about to give in to her tiredness. All that mattered on her mind was Ianto and getting him help. She checked the mirror again and saw Merlin overtake the car she'd just passed. Luckily he hadn't wavered once since they started driving. She'd called him a few times to make sure that his car was still full of petrol and no one needed a break. Of course at one point the tank needed to be filled, so they had stopped at a service station for a while. After stretching their legs and drinking coffees they had moved on.

Finally she saw the Severn Bridge looming up in the dark. Once more she tapped her Bluetooth to call Merlin. "The toll bridge is coming up, so get your wallet out. Just one more mile to go and we are in Wales." On the other side of the line she heard him explain what was waiting up ahead on the motorway to his two friends. While Gwaine's voice murmured something about finding money it was Arthur who wondered why they had to pay to cross a bridge.

Merlin's answer came out very dryly, "Because Grettir has retired many centuries ago." Gwen had no clue what he meant, but apparently his two friends did if their laughter was anything to go by. She decided to ignore the comment in the background about the perilous state of Wales and said, "I will drive slowly to wait for you on the other side." With a "Thanks, Gwen" the line went dead again.

After using her credit card to pay the few pounds of toll Gwen pushed the button which closed her window. Slowly she drove off again and once she spotted Merlin made it through as well she pushed on the gas to speed up. Making sure Merlin stayed close on her tail Gwen called Jack, who sounded even more tired than she did. In a matter of fact voice she told him she would be back in the Hub in about thirty minutes. They could talk properly later…

* * *

The silence in the Hub was only interrupted by the heart monitor Martha had put up to make it easier for her to check on Ianto's vital signs. In the distance water dripped alongside the underground part of the water tower and way up above him the pterodactyl sometimes cried out. Jack had lived in the Hub for so long now that he didn't even hear the sounds anymore. His attention was too focussed on Ianto for the rest of the world to get through to him. Every now and then Martha walked up to his side to break the silence of his vigil over his lover. The few times Jack left Ianto's side were to grab something to drink, but every swallow of coffee not made by Ianto tasted foul to him.

When the phone rang many hours ago Gwen sounded optimistic to him, maybe even a little bit too driven by hope. So what if she found Merlin? Jack still wasn't able to put his trust in the mysterious man he'd only seen once. His view on magic hadn't changed, but if he was honest Gwen had transferred some of her hope to his heart. What if on the odd chance magic did exist it could help Ianto? He felt he owed it to both his friends to give it an honest try.

While Martha still searched for scientific answers she came up empty on each try. Even a call to UNIT fell flat. They had never heard of Zogania and its people's metallic scouts before now either. Eventually Martha sat down by his side, smiling sadly as she clearly tried to give him the space to accept reality. Jack then understood why Gwen had felt the need to try this. It seemed the long shot had become their only chance.

He did not know how much time had passed when Gwen called again, "I'll be there in about thirty minutes." In spite of himself Jack felt how the words sparked the hint of hope inside. He squished it down though and decided to stay calm and collected, so he could welcome his visitors with an open mind. After all there was still his growing need to figure Merlin out…


	9. ITS: Chapter eight

**Chapter eight**

Merlin parked his car close to the Roald Dahl Plass, which was the heart of Cardiff Bay according to Gwen. Before she drove on to park the jeep somewhere else she dropped Rhys off to guide the three friends' way to the water tower, where they would meet up with her again. Merlin was happy to see that Gwaine and Arthur had lost most of their nervousness and were now excited about their new surroundings. After they got out of the car the men walked into the dark city.

"Here we are at the Plass. The high silver pillar in front of us is the water tower. On the left is the Wales Millennium Centre, built only with Welsh materials. The huge red one to the side of it is the Pierhead Building, which was build in 1897 and one of the few old ones still around. Beyond it stands the modern Welsh Assembly or as us Welsh call it, the Senedd. It can't be seen from here though. During daytime it is where our parliament can be found." Rhys rattled off some of the best features in the bay. Merlin smiled at the pride in his voice as he pointed out the sights around them.

Even in the dusk of the early summer's evening Cardiff Bay glistened with lights. Merlin noticed how eighteen tall pillars marked the Plass from two sides like lanterns. All around them the streets offered a strange mix of the old and modern. Somehow everything was in a balance which seemed to make sense for a large city. Lights shone from many of the buildings around him.

Merlin could already see Gwen waiting for them near the water tower. His attention however got drawn away from her and to the large building on his left side. It was the one Rhys had named the Wales Millennium Centre. Its best feature was the huge letters forming words in both the English and Welsh language. They were lit up from the inside in different shades of yellow light. When he looked closer Merlin believed that each letter was formed by glass windows, covering at least two floors on the inside of the place. "In These Stones Horizons Sing", he heard Gwaine murmur the poetic words the letters formed in English.

"Creu Gwir fel Gwydr o Ffwrnais Awen." Merlin fluently read the Welsh words spelled out in the windows. He grinned when everyone around him stared at him with surprise in their eyes, even Gwen who had just joined them. "You can actually read that?", Arthur faced him with an incredulous look on his face.

Merlin nodded before he explained, "Some of the land that is now modern Wales used to be part of Albion, the five kingdoms to which Camelot belonged. After Camelot fell I came across many druids who spoke Welsh. Along the centuries I picked up on their spells and therefore I learned to read and write their language. Creating truth like glass from inspiration's furnace, that's what it means." Merlin pointed upwards to the letters while Rhys and Gwen confirmed with a nod that he was right.

* * *

Many feet below the ground Jack watched the live feed of the Hub's security cameras. He saw the men walk over to Gwen and then stop several feet away from her. They all stared up to the Wales Millennium Centre. What were they talking about? Why were they wasting time? Jack tried to stay patient as he waited for his visitors to be ready to walk on. Martha, bless her, had convinced him to welcome them at the door. Then she offered to sit at Ianto's side while he readied himself. It helped knowing that she was there, but all the same he was still anxious to get back to his lover's side.

At last the small group was moving again. Jack followed their progress as they walked across the Plass and all the way down to the end of the docks. They stepped inside the tourist office which Ianto had set up as a cover for their hidden entrance. Inside cctv showed Gwen pushing the large button behind the counter in the small office to open the hidden door. Not long now until they would show up at the rotating door which led into the Hub.

In his eager to speed things up Jack pushed back his chair, walked out of his office and he hurried down the stairs. "They're here", he warned Martha over his earpiece with a tense smile she could not see. Once more he felt a spark of hope, maybe Merlin could help Ianto? He was desperate now to at least try and believe it. It would be so good if he could hear those lovely welsh vowels fall from Ianto's lips once more. Shaking his head at his own thoughts Jack pushed his feelings back. There was no point in jumping ahead of himself. Science still made far more sense…

At the sound of the warning alarms blaring Jack took a deep breath to steady himself. In a flash he composed himself, putting on the front of the strong man he always pretended to be. From the corner of his eyes he saw Martha join him at his side with an excited smile. "I can't help myself. I am quite excited about meeting a legend like Merlin… and King Arthur too."

Jack grinned at Martha's enthusiasm, unable to resist it… and her. It reminded him of Gwen and Ianto's reaction after they met Merlin and Arthur in Glastonbury. "Oh yes. Good feeling hey?" In spite of himself Jack grinned, feeling a touch of excitement as well. All the questions he wanted to ask Merlin about his possible immortality came bubbling to the surface again. Maybe after all this time he would not be alone to walk the Earth forever. With certainty he then knew that no matter what happened he owed it to Ianto to follow through on figuring it all out. That was why Ianto had set up the search for Merlin in the first place…

A second later the heavy door rolled away to reveal Gwen and Rhys. They were followed on the heels by the three friends, who all stared into the Hub with curious faces and a touch of awe. "Welcome to Torchwood", Jack invited them inside. He nodded to Gwen as a silent way to say, "You have done well." Then he introduced the men to Martha. "Doctor Martha Jones, meet Merlin, Arthur and Gwaine."

* * *

Merlin stepped into the strange underground world. It was a bit dark and damp down here. Parts of the place seemed to date back to the 19th century and at the same time it breathed of technology that somehow seemed to be of a time yet to come. Looking around to take it all in Merlin was amazed by the size of the Hub. The ceiling was so high up that he could barely see it. All throughout its height rose the same water tower he'd seen point up at the evening sky above ground. In a flash he understood that the three of them were privileged to be down here. It was a secret he swore to Gwen they would keep and never speak of to anyone.

"Welcome to Torchwood", the captain said. Merlin smiled as he shook the man's hand. Just like the first time he met Jack he still believed that the captain was out of place somehow. Even when Jack didn't wear the greatcoat there was a feel to him, saying he was from another time and that he lived for far too long. Immortality; Jack was the only other person on Earth who embraced and understood what it meant. Yet could he trust the man? Merlin wasn't sure of it just yet. All he knew was that he'd come to Cardiff for a reason. Destiny had brought him here. Time could only tell him why…

"Thanks for coming down here." Jack smiled, but Merlin saw in the tired blue eyes that the other man was wary. Between Gwen's words earlier in the day he heard her say that Jack didn't believe in magic. He didn't know how long Jack had lived, but he recognized himself in the way the other man held back his emotions when it came to strangers. Only some got behind the walls they put up out of self preservation. The fewer people got too close to them the less it meant they would have to say goodbye. It was not something which had not always come easy to Merlin, but he'd learned the tactic of putting up walls all the same and had become by far too good at it. In fact he was doing the same thing when it came to dealing with the Torchwood three.

"Like I told Gwen, I can't give any guarantee that I can help Ianto. All I can do is give it my best shot. Martha, can you tell me all you have done to help him and show me the statistics on his vital signs?" Merlin decided it was best to come to the point and not waste any more time talking.

He saw Jack nod to Martha as if a silent command to her to help Merlin as best as she could. In her expressive eyes and in her kind face however Merlin saw that she had not needed the order for there was nothing she would not do for her patients. "Of course. Come, I will show you the infirmary. Every reading I took is on the computer there."

Together they walked to the infirmary. From the corner of his eyes Merlin saw the others follow them in curiosity. They kept a respectful distance, so he ignored them for now. Once in the infirmary he listened to Martha as she told him all about the cube, what it looked like and how she believed it scanned Ianto.

"What was in the beam of light, do you know?"

Martha shook her head in obvious disappointment at not getting any further with it. "No. Not even the alien tech specialists figured that one out. All they came up with was 'nothing', but I just can't accept that. It seems to me it wasn't just light. Light doesn't make us humans sick."

An almost too modern looking computer held scans and all the data they needed. Merlin was impressed by how much information it held. In a vivid picture of numbers it showed him the strain on the heart, which was the most worrying problem. Ianto seemed to be fighting off some virus and yet nothing in his blood work suggested it was even there. As clever as the computer was it couldn't tell what was wrong with Ianto. Science it seemed wasn't the answer here.

Merlin walked over to the bed, ignoring the fact that everyone was following him with their eyes. A lot was expected of him and for a moment he felt nervous. Then he saw Arthur and Gwaine look at him with trust, both showing him without words that they had faith in his powers. He didn't need to look at the others to know that each and every single one of them watched with baited breath, unsure about what to think as they did. The pressure of an audience made him want to run, but of course he wouldn't. Ianto was why he had come… not any of the others.

Taking a few deep breaths Merlin calmed his nerves. Once he felt collected enough he placed his right hand on Ianto's chest to allow for his magic to feel for anything that could explain an alien illness. For a moment he closed his eyes in concentration. After a few slow breaths he sensed a glimmer of something dark course through the veins below his hand. Ianto was fighting an invasion alright, but he stood no chance. The virus was as alien as it was effective in its growth. With effective coldness it multiplied, replacing white and red blood cells with foreign intruders. In shock Merlin opened his eyes…

* * *

Jack observed every move Merlin made. There was an assuredness that came with age in him, but at the same time the mysterious man seemed to doubt himself. From the way Merlin stared at the computer screens Jack could see that he took his patient. Yes, the man hid behind walls… but in his hands and on his face rested a sense of care for an in a way complete stranger. What made Jack want to trust him was that Merlin's questions showed an insight in the human body. Did he understand medicine?

It made no sense to Jack though that Merlin seemed to take the alien side of the strange illness in his stride. What kind of knowledge was lying deep beneath the surface of the mysterious man who claimed he lived for a long time? More and more Jack felt confused at his mixed feelings on Merlin.

When all Merlin did next was put a hand on Ianto's chest Jack grew even more confused. Was he using magic already? Jack had no clue. For one moment he held his breath in a tense pause for what was to come. Before he had even let it out he stared into eyes filled with shock and determination. "Found it…" Jack nearly missed the whispered words. His mind could barely grasp the meaning behind them. Had Merlin actually found in mere moments what everyone else stood no chance at ever finding with science?

In disbelief Jack shook his head. He was about to ask Merlin what he was doing when a golden glow lit up in the deep blue eyes. A left hand joined the right one on Ianto's chest even as the gold continued to burn like a fire fuelled by pure oxygen. In answer to it the silence in the Hub grew even more tense. Jack held his breath; afraid to believe and yet praying with all of his heart his scepticism was about to be proven unjustified. More than anything he wanted Ianto to be right about Merlin and his magic now.

"Ic the thurhaele thinu licsar mid thamsundorcraeft thaere ealdan ae." The strange words were spoken with passion. Merlin seemed to put all of his strength in them.

Though Jack had no clue what the strange spell meant he held on to one single thought, "Please Ianto, wake up."


	10. ITS: Chapter nine

**Chapter nine**

Far from the distance whispered words entered his consciousness. They sounded neither Welsh nor English and yet something within them made sense to Ianto. He didn't know why, but he felt compelled to listen to them as they echoed in his mind and begged him for attention. A warm feeling floated around him. It pushed away the dreaded cold he'd felt ever since the light scanned him. Not even Jack's greatcoat had kept him warm. How silly was that? It was made of thick wool after all. Ianto looked at the swirls of gold and found his scattered thoughts calm down at the beautiful sight of them.

Once more the words bounced around within his mind, as if they were spoken again. The voice though was still unfamiliar to him. It was a deep and determined male voice. There was a strength within it which Ianto found reassuring. With each pulse of his heart he realised there was a familiar sounding touch to it. As if it belonged to someone who left an impression on his mind and yet he couldn't quite grasp hold of an identity.

There was a pressure on his chest, as if hands pushed him down gently. To whom did the hands belong? Jack? Or was it someone else? He had fallen ill, hadn't he? The metallic taste in his mouth seemed to confirm his last thought. The cube! In a flash the memory of the bloody thing came back to him. It had threatened them all. Ianto realised with growing awareness that it wasn't the cube speaking now, nor was it anyone on his team. Maybe if he opened his eyes he could see the man who reached out to him out here in the dark.

Ianto let the voice guide him towards the light. Deep down he grinned to himself how cliché the moment seemed. He didn't care less though. If the man to whom the warm timbre of speech belonged could take him back to Jack then that was what he would do. A sudden loud screech came from nearby. The pterodactyl, was she hungry? If he was awake then he could feed her some dark chocolate. Myfanwy liked it when he gave her a treat…

Startled Ianto woke up to find himself staring into a couple of golden eyes of a raven haired man. "Merlin?!" Now it all made sense, or didn't it? Last he remembered he was searching for the mysterious sorcerer. Now out of the blue Merlin was right here by his side. It made Ianto wonder how many hours went by since he fainted. "What… where…" His dry throat made it difficult for him to ask the many questions on his mind.

"Ianto!" He heard Jack shout out. Ianto smiled at the joy in his lover's voice. He turned his head towards the thumping footsteps coming over. In a flash he found himself wrapped up in a careful and yet overpowering hug, which was typical for Jack. Ianto wasn't too surprised to see a few tears glistening in the bright blue eyes. "I missed you", Jack whispered in his ear before he pushed his emotions behind a wall again. A moment later he stepped away. "Rest now, Ianto. You've been through a lot. We will talk later when you have found your voice."

"Onslæp nu." Two new strange words came back to Ianto. Knowing the voice belonged to Merlin he embraced them without question. With one deep sigh he fell asleep.

* * *

Jack watched as Merlin stepped away from the bed on unsteady legs. Out of reflex Jack supported the other man when he stumbled. "Careful there." His warning was met with a tired half smile. Jack grinned boyishly before he shook the stunned amazement at what happened from his mind. Slowly he gathered his courage to thank Merlin properly, even though he still felt utterly confused by the man. "It seems I was wrong to think magic didn't exist. I can't even begin to grasp what you did, but quite clearly it worked. Thank you for helping us heal Ianto." To his amusement Merlin seemed a little flustered at the praise and then even more so after Gwen and Martha thanked him too.

It puzzled Jack when he saw Merlin look to Arthur from beneath his lashes, as if he was afraid of how his friend would react. A silent moment passed between them in which they came to an understanding. Jack looked at Gwaine for answers, but he found none. All the soft brown eyes reflected before he pulled Merlin in a one armed hug was an intense pride for someone he cared for. "You did it. I knew you would, but seeing it come to pass like that. Wow."

Together the friends walked off. They were lead up the stairs by Gwen, who promised to take them to the boardroom to have a rest and a drink. Rhys, Martha and Arthur followed them. "I'll be with you in a moment", Jack called out after Gwen, who nodded and walked on. In her eyes he saw that she understood why he needed another moment to catch his breath. More than anything else he wanted to ensure for himself that Ianto was going to be alright. He returned to Ianto's side and felt his pulse, even though the computer still registered a steady heartbeat…

"Magic. Even at the best of times it is a tough thing to wrap your head around."

Startled Jack turned around and he was surprised to find Arthur standing behind him. It seemed the former King stayed behind. The far off look in his otherwise alert eyes made Jack wonder, "Did you ever manage?"

Shaking his head Arthur seemed to answer his question in all honesty. "There are days when I think I understand it, but in the end there is only one person left in the world who truly knows what magic is."

"Merlin", Jack answered the unasked question.

Arthur nodded before he continued in a far off voice, as if he remembered something, "Ianto isn't the first man to live another day where the odds are against him to survive, and he won't be the last either. As long as Merlin lives there will always be another. In fact I have a feeling it was magic that brought Gwaine and me here for a second chance at living. What other reason could there be?"

Jack had nothing to offer but a shrug. None of the questions raised in Glastonbury were answered. Torchwood had searched for the usual signs of time travel and found none. There was no scientific reason to be found. It was the reason why Ianto's belief in the legends and Merlin's magic had grown as strong as it did.

"To think that I used to fear magic, even until recent times… well not, recent as in a linear sense, but you know. In the dark ages I was taught to think of it as evil or at least that it corrupted humanity. My father was so wrong, and so was I too. People just like Merlin, how many died because of ignorance? Captain, we may not understand magic and it may not be something people believe in today, but those of us who know it is there need to accept it for all the good it can do."

There was a self assuredness to Arthur's final words which Jack associated with his royal heritage. Arthur was probably used to talking to crowds or in front of important people, like other Kings and noblemen. Legends spoke of a round table; had there really been one? Jack was curious to know the answer, but he held back on the question. He would leave that one for Ianto.

With a wide smile he changed the subject. "Let's go and see what the others are up to. Then we need to find you guys a place to sleep. Will you and your friends be staying in Cardiff for the night?" As he began to speak he led Arthur up into the Hub to take him to the boardroom.

* * *

Merlin opened his eyes when the door of the boardroom opened. Too tired to lift his head he leant on one of Gwaine's broad shoulders. It was actually rather comfortable to do so. His friend didn't seem to care and Gwen had only smiled at their closeness. When she sat down in one of the chairs she yawned wide, a clear sign that she too was tired. Merlin realised then that she'd been driving all day just to get Ianto help. Her leap of faith was quite something to behold.

With a smile on his mind Merlin decided that the three of Torchwood were friends, who watched each other's backs and would not back off from their goals. It reminded him of the way he now lived together with Gwaine and Arthur. Sure they had their moments of frustration, but overall the old feeling of 'us against the world' had never left them.

The instant he spotted Jack and Arthur he saw the similarity in the way both men held themselves. Two leaders who evoked a deep loyalty and earned a strong trust of those they'd gathered around them. It wasn't that they forced it by blind obedience or by putting fear in their 'followers', never that. They were just accepted for what they stood for: the good side of humanity and the sacrifices they made to protect it. Both were proud of those who fought for these values at their side. Though Merlin knew that neither of the two liked to talk about their feelings he saw how they wore many of their emotions on their sleeves regardless. He further admired the fact that neither seemed to be afraid to admit it when they were in the wrong. It was no wonder to him that the two had come to some understanding without the rest if them around.

One look of conspiracy was shared between the two leaders before Jack spoke up, "The best thing I can do at this time of day is hand you the keys to Ianto's flat. He'd only be too happy knowing you lot stayed there for the night. All I ask in return is that you meet us tomorrow, let's say up on the Plass somewhere. We will be able to spot you when you are there. Ianto will never forgive me if you three do the whole disappearing thing again before he gets the chance to thank you, Merlin."

Merlin looked up to Gwaine with the quiet question of "what do you think?" He wasn't surprised when his friend gave a slight nod. Neither one of them wanted to drive back to Keswick at this late time of night. For one moment Merlin considered if it wasn't better to take them home with his magic, but then he rethought it. In truth he felt too tired to concentrate for long and deep enough to transport himself let alone the three of them so many miles across the lands. With a grin to himself he realised that one lapse could lead into them popping up at quite another ancient site. So no… not the best idea then.

Lifting his head off Gwaine's shoulder and pushing back his chair Merlin rose to his feet. "Thanks. That sounds like a good idea to me. We could do with the rest before we attempt any sort of journey back north. I'd be happy to see Ianto up and walking again before we leave too, make sure there is no relapse." Merlin found he meant every word, for it would indeed feel good to see the man he healed walk amongst the living again.

* * *

Several minutes later, after Martha and Rhys went to their respective homes, Jack led the three friends up to the surface. Along the way he picked up a street map of Cardiff in the mock tourist information. He placed a cross on it, which marked the location of Ianto's flat.

"We can find it", Merlin promised him with a polite smile.

"Even in the dark?" Jack winked to ensure Merlin that he was only kidding. All the same he decided to lead the three men over to the water tower, which for most tourists was an obvious landmark on the map. It would make it a little easier for them to find their way in the city. After a while though Merlin fell behind and he fell to a standstill. Jack too stopped walking in order to see what kept him from walking on.

By the side of the watertower he turned around to find Merlin looking upwards at the letters of the Wales Millennium Centre with intense concentration in his golden eyes of magic, which even glowed a little in the dark. What was the mysterious man doing now? At the same time Jack wondered about it Arthur asked Merlin the question. For one moment there came no reaction. Slow seconds ticked by until with an abrupt twirl of his body Merlin turned around to face them with an enigmatic smile on his moonlit face.

"In these stones horizons sing. These words are somehow spot on. The stones may be slate here instead, but that is just the Welsh thing to do. I sense a history here that is more than just Wales. The time of the druids sings within, so to speak." When Jack narrowed his eyes Merlin elaborated, "There is a slim trace of magic here that may just be strong enough to guide me back to Cardiff on a next time."

"Like the druid circles?" Jack was the last one to make the connection. When Merlin nodded he too smiled, realising at last that Merlin had used the promising words of "next time". With a far happier feeling on his heart he wished the friends a good night. For a while he watched as they walked off into the darkness and into the direction of Ianto's modern flat. Jack waited until they were out of sight before he stepped onto the stone within the pavement that hid the invisible lift. It was the quickest way down from here. He just couldn't wait to return to Ianto to wrap him up in a hug and never let go again.


	11. ITS: Chapter ten

**Chapter ten**

Sunlight lit up the water in the bay. Standing at the railing Merlin watched the gentle waves on the surface in silence for a moment, taking in the peaceful scenery of the boats sailing on the bay. Behind him people walked on. Tourists and locals crossed each other on the Plass while others took photographs or they went about their way. Merlin stood between Arthur and Gwaine, who were just as quiet as he was. They could all do with a coffee, but the need for a caffeine fix was only a small part of why they were here.

The three friends had talked a lot last night when they came to Ianto's comfortable flat. They had weighed in all of their options and decided to return home to Keswick, at least until they sorted out Merlin's list. After that they would travel around the southern part of Wales and east side of England. Both Arthur and Gwaine needed to see what had become of Albion, the world they left behind since their resurrection, so Merlin promised he'd take them on a journey along the sites of old. It was strange to realise that in the 21st century he was the only one left among them to remember where Camelot used to be…

A far too cheerful voice broke into his thoughts. "Fancy meeting you lot here." The roll of Ianto's eyes at the captain's obvious flirt made Merlin smile. "Seriously though, thanks for coming back to meet up with us."

"Well, you promised us the best coffee in the world." Merlin winked before he stepped to Ianto to shake his hand. "It is good to see you out and about already, Ianto. I am glad my healing spell worked." His last few words were said a little softer so only the six of them could hear.

"So am I… thanks, Merlin, for everything you did. I sure thought I would never wake up again. It felt as if you pulled me from the depts."

Merlin saw Jack put his arm around Ianto as a quiet gesture to comfort him. There was still fear in Ianto's eyes, which seemed only logical after such a close brush with death. For a bit longer than needed Merlin held on to the hand Ianto had offered him. A sharp burst of his magic travelled unseen between them so that Merlin could scan the other man for any remains of the invisible virus in his veins. Glad to find all traces gone he let go with a smile. "Rest assured, the virus is gone."

It did not surprise him to see that Jack narrowed his eyes out of a reflective surge of suspicion. The moment Merlin had reassured Ianto though Jack smiled in understanding.

They all grinned when Ianto mouthed "magic" to his lover to chastise him from being so weary of people. Jack merely shrugged before he invited everyone back down to the Hub for coffees and a chat. At that Ianto raised his brows, but he stayed quiet. Merlin grinned when he remembered how during their first encounter Jack had claimed that it was Ianto who made the best coffee in the world.

Despite the lovely weather, and Ianto's eyeroll, no one objected to the promise of a good dose of caffeine. The long night had left them all a bit groggy this morning. Merlin hoped that it would do the job of waking him up, so that he was ready for the five hour drive back home to Keswick.

* * *

"You still doubt magic, don't you?"

Closing the door behind them Jack turned around to face Merlin. The serious look in the ageless eyes was as mysterious to him as ever. It had been his suggestion to invite Merlin into his office for a talk, but now that they were up here Jack realised it meant opening up on some of his past and his feelings as well. Was he ready to do that to some one he did not know well? Looking out of the office windows he saw Ianto laugh at something Gwaine had said to him. Smiling at how easy they got along Jack realised that it was far too late for him to harden his heart to those around him anyway…

Choice made Jack waited for Merlin to sit down too. "Where… and when I am from we have no concept of magic. Everything was about technology and science. It is just the way I was raised. Even during my travels through time I never stumbled upon it. I have seen and lived through many strange things, trust me. However magic? I never even knew it was a true possibility before yesterday."

"You are from the future." Merlin's words were more of a statement than a question.

Jack nodded his surprised answer. "I am from the 51st century and was born in the Boeshane Peninsula, a place far away from Earth. I travelled for a long time before I came here. How did you know? Oh wait, don't tell me… magic."

Merlin grinned at his throwaway remark. Once more Jack felt confused by the relaxed way Merlin accepted the concept of aliens and time travel. What did the other man know about it? What had he seen? It seemed for every answer Merlin gave there came more questions. Jack wondered where to start, but he decided to wait for the other man to speak his mind first.

After a moment Merlin explained, "Unlike you I have known about magic all my life. In fact I was born with it. In the time of Camelot many people had some sort of gift, though none of us could openly use it for as long as Arthur's father Uther reigned. It was once said to me that I am magic. At first I didn't believe it, but it turned out that the man who spoke them was right."

"So you did walk the slow path through time ever since?" Finally Jack dared to ask the question which remained on his mind ever since he first saw the old newspaper Ianto showed him. With a sure nod Merlin confirmed his immortality. "Ever since Arthur died and Camelot fell I have lived through the many centuries, waiting for his return."

With sorrow in his eyes Merlin stared out of the windows in the office, looking down into the Hub where the others were mocking about with a basket ball. Jack waited until his attention was back in the office again. "Saying goodbye to Arthur was hard, but I was told he would rise again in Albion's hour of need."

"How? Magic?" Jack couldn't help but interrupt Merlin at the impossibility of it all.

"The druids and their prophecies. Even I have no hope in understanding why it is that they have come true. All I know is that Arthur and even Gwaine's return can only be because of magic, though I swear it didn't come from my hand."

"Do your friends even know trouble may come their way?"

It didn't surprise Jack when Merlin answered, "I can't look into the future any more then you can. So what's the point in telling them when they are still trying to get used to this time?"

Jack could only nod his understanding. There was indeed no point in warning anyone when you didn't have a clue as to what is was you warned them for. It was quiet between them for a moment longer before Jack in a flash realised what he needed to offer the other man in order to keep in touch with him. "Torchwood will always be here. As soon as you know what we may face, call me. Let us help you where we can."

It was met with a smile. "Always? That is a long time."

"Not for you and I, it isn't." Jack's remark came with a wry grin.

A flash of emotions crossed Merlin's features before he pushed them back behind a wall. "So how come you are immortal then?"

Jack downed the last gulp of his coffee gone cold. "Long story short. I died at the hands of aliens some time in a future time. A good friend of mine brought me back to life using a power they could not control. Ever since then I have been unable to stay dead. Each time I get killed I just wake up again, no matter what took my life."

Rising from his chair Jack decided to end their talk. The more important questions he needed to ask were now answered in some way or another. Of course he still wanted to know more, but then he too would have to reveal more… and for that he wasn't ready. During their talk he had seen how Merlin's eyes strayed to his two friends a few times, a clear indication of him wanting to leave. With some regret Jack knew that for now he had to let Merlin go without getting all of his answers.

* * *

The group of friends walked passed the Wales Millennium Centre. Again Merlin felt a small trace of magic flutter across his spine. It made him feel happy to realise that even after all the centuries magic was forgotten he didn't have to be without the warm sensation of its presence. Maybe he was the only one to understand what magic meant to the Earth, but at least now he had friends around who were willing to simply embrace it as a part of him. If he were honest to himself it had been a long time since he felt this at peace with himself…

"One day at a time", Merlin remembered the words his mother had spoken when he fled to her after Arthur died. Never had he felt more lost then when he stumbled into Ealdor with a fresh set of tears in his eyes. All the pain he had felt when he knew destiny had won after all seemed too much for one man to bear and yet, here he was. Still alive, and with Arthur and Gwaine at his side. Maybe one day they'd face trouble again, just like the druids promised, but until then he would live each day with joy in his heart. The few moments he could share with his mortal friends while he lived forever would have to be enough for the endless time alone still to come.

Listening to Jack and Gwaine flirt while Ianto commented dryly as they walked on made Merlin smile. The captain was still an enigma in so many ways. Maybe he would need a lifetime to figure all of Jack out. Of course in turn he would give him a run for his money as well. Over the centuries Merlin had learned to become a mystery himself. After all what was the point of being a legend when you were boringly normal? It was a good thing they had all the time in the world then.

"So… here we are again." Jack shook Merlin's hand as he smiled his goodbye.

"Until a next time", Merlin promised before he said goodbye to the others as well.

While Gwaine dropped their bags in the trunk Arthur stepped into the car on the passenger side. "Get a move on you two. I'd prefer it if we made it home before supper. I believe it was your turn to cook, Gwaine?"

After all of the seriousness of the night Merlin was relieved to notice his friends' usual banter returned. Merlin grinned knowing full well Arthur meant that they'd call their usual pizza place for a home delivery.

"What's wrong with your fingers", Gwaine muttered before he joked with a wink to Merlin.

Laughing Merlin stepped into the car and he sat down behind the wheel. After he closed the door he put the key in the ignition to start the engine. Not before long he made a sharp turn as he drove out of the parking garage. About five hours to go and then they would be home. Next time he'd definitely leave the car behind…


	12. Hidden Paths of Magic

**PART 3: HIDDEN PATHS OF MAGIC**

* * *

 **Chapter one**

In the drizzling rain the Brecon Beacons seemed almost deserted. Even if you could look beyond the low hanging clouds, not a tourist was in sight. Walkers and climbers alike had opted to stay in the valleys below. The high season had gone by and made way for a dreary autumn, leaving the brownish green hills covered in silence. Only the bleating of sheep and babbling brooks of rainwater could be heard. Some said it was peaceful up here, but Jack wasn't the kind of man who enjoyed nature, especially not when it was wet and miserable like today.

Jack had driven here for one reason alone. The computers at the Torchwood Hub, their headquarters, suggested that there was something or maybe even someone out here who didn't belong. Jack felt like he had no choice but to follow up on it. What if it was alien in origin? There was a chance then it formed a threat Earth needed to defend itself from, so they needed to investigate. Today though Torchwood was a team of one man, because both Gwen and Ianto were down with a bad case of the flu.

With the Brecon Beacons being a remote part of south Wales it meant Jack couldn't drive his black jeep all the way to where the signal came from. Instead he parked it at an almost deserted visitor centre and he left the comfortable warmth of the car with a sigh of annoyance. Stepping outside he realised the signal pointed towards the high peak dooming up in the cloudy sky in front of him. It was called the Pen-y-Fan, a Welsh name which loosely translated into 'Top of this place'. Of course… the alien had to pick the highest peak available for miles.

Rolling his eyes to emphasize his unhappiness Jack took the ascending path into the grey clouds. The higher up he got the emptier the landscape around him became. After a while he no longer found shelter among the trees. Cursing under his breath at the typical Welsh weather Jack wrapped himself up in his woollen greatcoat. Every now and then he looked at his leather wristband with the vortex manipulator. It helped him trace the alien signal, which was still far up ahead of him. What was out here? Why of all places did the alien have to pick this part of Wales? It made no sense to him the rift once more had spiked so far away from Cardiff.

Jack passed a small cairn, a pile of stones which archaeologists said were marked graves of people buried in times long gone by. For a second time now he stopped and wondered where he was. All he could see up here were sheep, grass and mud. If he'd taken a map with him then maybe he would know. Shaking his head at his own stupidity he walked on to find the path lead him along the top of high escarpments. On any other day he would have an amazing view from here, but today the sight of the valley below was hidden by the grey weather. The cold comfort of the hill fog made him realise that he was far too alone up here. Maybe he should go back…

The thought had not quite formed in his mind when some yards before him a lone figure stepped out of the clouds. Standing in the rain the man's light eyes looked at him from below the hood of his dark green cape. The instant their eyes locked Jack felt as if the stranger belonged here by far more than he did. His presence was almost mythical, as if a ghost had stepped out of the spirit world. Yet Jack didn't believe in ghosts. He blinked in disbelief, almost willing the image in front of him away, but the man didn't fade from his sight. So he really was there then.

Without speaking the man stared right though him with searching eyes. "Hello there", Jack tried to bring back some normalcy into the moment. With one gracious movement the man pushed his hood from his head to reveal his kind face. His silver grey hair shone in what little daylight lingered in the low hanging clouds. He smiled at Jack, as if he knew who he was and had searched for him.

"Emrys", the strange name was spoken with reverence. "Captain Harkness, you must find him before he falls and all is lost. Go to the heart of old to unite with the Once and Future King and his knight. Only then will you be able to save the future."

"Who are you? What does all of this even mean? Why me?"

Jack's questions were ignored with another mysterious smile. "The answers will come to you before you see me again. Find the key, Captain, and let it guide your way. Believe in magic and the hidden path will reveal itself." Within the blink of an eye the stranger disappeared into the hill fog as if he'd never even been there.

* * *

Many miles up north near a town called Keswick three friends walked over to the huge stone circle. Tourists had counted the stones through the centuries, but only one man living in this day and age knew how many there had been before it declined. Merlin didn't need to count the stones, which had survived the test of time. All he had to do was reach out to the magic left behind by the druids who had built it and were buried in the ground between the rocks. His magical sight and his connection to the earth made him see and feel everything it stood for. The druids' lingering presence even helped him guide his way to other once sacred sites their kind had built.

Stepping through the kissing gate on his right Merlin smiled before he walked on towards the centre of the field and the circle placed within it. Even from the edge of the field he felt the pull of magic. It made his blood tingle with warmth and every part of his being feel alive, as if each fibre of his being pulsed in tune with the most ancient power of all. Like every other time when he came here he felt like he belonged here, even though his heart had never quite left Camelot, which was many miles down south. Merlin almost felt sad that he had come here today just to leave, but it was the way it had to be…

The three of them were off on a journey through their past. All the sites they'd once known had changed of course, but even so Arthur and Gwaine needed to see it with their own eyes. They both believed closing the door on their past could only be done if they saw it as such. It was why they'd insisted on Merlin bringing them to Camelot. Knowing how big the shock would be Merlin in turn insisted that he'd ease them into it by showing other places first. It was to be like every other quest they had been on, but then in a far more modern style of better clothes and a light weight tent of fabric invented long after his friends had lived the first time.

Now the planning stage of the trip was over, this was the moment of truth. Merlin stopped walking in the middle of the circle of stones. He glanced between his friends to ensure they still wanted to come on the journey they had set out to take, "Are you both ready?" Two simultaneous nods made him smile. "Take my hand", Merlin offered each one of his friends a hand and he wasn't surprised to feel them being grabbed without a moment of hesitation.

Closing his eyes he felt around for the magic hidden within the circle. Sights of druids living here came to him for a moment. For a long breath he embraced their presence, dancing with them and sitting with those he had once known. With an almost reluctant sigh he let go of each one of them, so he could concentrate on sensing the magic of a place many miles down south. A new image formed on his mind; a lone tower stood on a hilltop near a town called Glastonbury. Within seconds the three friends disappeared from the stone circle to appear again at the starting point of their long hike into Wales.

* * *

Gone… the signal had faded in a flash, just like the strange man. Once more Jack blinked the rain from his eyes. Maybe what he'd just seen was a ghost after all? Or was it magic at work? Whoever, or whatever, it was, it was clear to Jack that this apparition was connected to the mysterious time traveller. Ianto told him once Emrys was the Welsh name for Merlin, which meant immortal. Was this an omen of bad things to come?

Jack tried his mobile phone, but just as he suspected this part of the world was too far away from civilisation. He tapped away at the keys of the vortex manipulator and noted down where he was. Maybe the gps-coordinates could help his team find answers later, not that Jack was all too hopeful about it. After taking one more look around, and still finding nothing, he started his descend back to the visitor centre.

Soaked to the bone Jack returned to the jeep. The car park had filled up some more, he noticed. He assumed the tourists were enjoying their tea and scones at the centre. No one was as crazy as he was to brave a walk up into the high hills, well… not if they were smart people anyway. Cranking up the heater Jack warmed his knuckles. In a careless move he shrugged himself out of his soaked greatcoat to throw it onto the backseats of the jeep. Right now he missed the complaints of his team mates, who he was sure were all wrapped up in their warm beds at home. They would argue about the rain and be all excited about the appearance of a ghost at the same time. The only noise filling the jeep now were his chattering teeth and the heater doing its best to warm him up.

After an hour of driving in miserable weather Jack turned onto the M4. Just a short stretch of motorway left to go and then he'd take the exit for Cardiff Bay at the next junction. Unfortunately this was also the busiest part of the drive. Somehow people always seemed to drive like on eggshells when it was raining, even when the sight was still good and there were two lanes to go one way. Rolling his eyes at a particular slow driver Jack steered to his right to overtake them.

As he sped up into the faster outer lane disaster struck. Jack had to hit his breaks hard to avoid collision, but it was already too late. A lorry had swerved as it collided into a small car. With a quick pull on the steering wheel Jack avoided the lorry by an inch, but the small car proved one obstacle too many. Before he could react the jeep's wheels lost their grip on a particular wet stretch of asphalt and it was lost in a slip. Swerving to the side Jack lost all control of the jeep as the wheels were taken off the motorway. In its momentum of speed the car slid across yards of asphalt…

Inside of the jeep Jack bumped his head against the door and then the dashboard, in spite of his seatbelt. Metal tore apart and twisted into the door on the driver's side as the jeep hit the guardrail with a loud screech. His world turned into blinding pain when a large and sharp piece of the rail cut into his heart, making him lose blood faster than rain poured from the sky above him. Jack didn't even hear the ambulance sirens wail, for he'd already died…

* * *

Ianto woke to the sound of the telephone ringing. With a pounding head he lifted himself off the couch. Maybe it was someone important… it better be, or he'd be annoyed as hell to whoever disturbed him. Sniffling once more he answered it, "Ianto Jones". He almost did not recognize the croaking voice as his own. The fog in his mind cleared up soon enough though when the woman on the other end asked him if he knew a man named Jack Harkness. Solemn in her explanation she continued saying that Jack was involved in a serious car accident on the M4 and when the ambulance arrived it was too late. Ianto had awoken to a nerve wreck of attention by then.

Minutes of hurry passed before he rushed into the hospital room where Jack was laid out on a gurney covered beneath a white sheet. Ianto asked to be left alone, dropping the Torchwood level of clearance in his orders, and with a polite smile the nurse closed the door behind her. Dropping the bag with a second set of clothes Ianto pealed away the sheet at the same time Jack drew in a painful first gasp of breath. With a sigh of relief Ianto was happy to find Jack defy the rules of mortality for another time in his far too long life.

"Ianto… what the…", Jack eyes stared at him in utter confusion for a moment, until sudden recognition dawned. "I died again, didn't I?"

To his annoyance Ianto found his answer drowned in a coughing fit that hurt his throat and made his chest heave. While trying to recover his voice he managed a nod. When at last he had regained control of his breathing he handed Jack his clothes. It did not surprise him that his lover dressed in silence. Even so he wanted to know what had brought both of them here. "Don't you remember what happened?"

Two eyes looked up, still as confused as they were since Jack had first opened them. "No… and I got a headache to match the loss. Strange…" Frowning Jack put on the new greatcoat Ianto had brought him. "Get me home, Ianto. I am sure it's nothing your coffee can't fix."

Both of them knew that Jack covered up his confusion in the only way he could, by ignoring it…


	13. HP: Chapter two

**Chapter two**

 _Three weeks later…_

Some things in the world hadn't changed over the centuries. Merlin still felt the spirits of ancient kings walk in this forest valley. Its old name The Valley of the Fallen Kings may have long since been forgotten, but even today Merlin had a feeling something bad was about to happen. He couldn't put his finger on it. Of course not, he never could, and yet the magic running in his veins rebelled against an invisible outside force.

Swallowing the ominous feeling back down Merlin followed his two friends down the steps on the mud covered slopes. The hills weren't high here, but they were slippery. Even centuries back people felt the need to place steps on them so they would not trip and fall. Since then the steps had been replaced and replaced again, but it was the only thing which ever changed here. Or at least it seemed that way. The obvious things missing to the three friends were the two statues of old kings that used to mark the valley entrance. No one in the 21st century though remembered the statues and without them the valley seemed rather peaceful. Merlin however still didn't buy any of it.

Of course Arthur had to pick up on his unease as they walked on. "What is it with you and this place?"

He almost sounded annoyed, but Merlin didn't care. "Like I said to you many times before, nothing good ever happens here. It was in this valley you were hit by a poisoned arrow and it was also here where Morgana trapped me more than once."

They walked on in silence for a few yards when Arthur turned around to face Merlin. "Tell me, Merlin. Did you use magic to save me that day?"

Merlin shrugged before he walked passed his friend to walk on between the rocks. "Of course I did, you dollop head. How else did you think you could walk away from an injury so severe?"

While Merlin and Gwaine grinned at the old nickname Merlin had remembered in a flash Arthur shook his head at his past self's ignorance.

The joke broke the tension in the air and once more it hid Merlin's truth in plain sight. There was one secret he believed that he still needed to keep from his friends. Even in this day and age what remained of the Crystal Cave laid hidden in the depths of the valley. While it was left in no more than a shadow of its magnificent former state Merlin had vowed to protect it no matter what, or all magic would be lost and with it his life might just be forfeit. Back during the incident with the arrow Arthur had come too close to the cave for his liking. It was a good thing to Merlin that back then the former King never recalled the day properly, and it seemed like he stayed clueless still.

Gwaine however had a better recalling of past times it seemed. "The day before the battle at Camlann you asked me to bring you here. Why was it you did so, when you fear this place so much?" The honest question came as a surprise to Merlin. It made him stop in his tracks. Should he talk his way out of this one or was it time to tell his friends the truth after all? Maybe it was best for now if he found a balance between the two evils.

"Not everything is bad about this valley. There used to be something precious here. It was the one thing I thought I had lost in the days before the battle." Merlin paused for effect before he continued. "Magic. I had to come here to learn I could never lose it. This place gave me the strength to become Emrys and embrace all of my powers."

"The old man?" Arthur narrowed his eyes in confusion.

Merlin turned to Gwaine and saw nothing but confusion in the brown eyes as well. With a deliberate mysterious smile he walked on. While his friends followed Merlin helped them out of their misery. "What I look like is my choice. I can be my youthful self or be that old man, or even anything in between. To be what I am is confusing, even to me. Just accept what I am saying here."

"He's doing it again, isn't he? Being mysterious just for the sake of it." Arthur muttered to Gwaine.

"It was you who asked him to never change, mate. You only have yourself to blame…"

Merlin grinned at the former knight's answer.

* * *

Gwaine shook his head to tease Arthur a little bit more. The opportunity to do it was just too good to pass by on. Learning the truth about the fact Merlin had magic was one thing. To understand what it really meant for his friend to even have magic in a world which forgot it once existed at all was a far different animal. Gwaine wanted to try and understand all of it, but he came to see he wasn't going to overnight. Merlin had grown too used to dealing with his secrets all by himself. Centuries had passed for his friend, while it was not even a year for Gwaine. Time changed everyone, even Merlin. On the surface the changes seemed only minimal, but Gwaine had a feeling the true changes went far deeper than that.

Taking a few quick strides he walked up to Merlin's side. With a wink and a smile he let Merlin know that he understood why there were some things he could not talk about. "So, where are we off to next?" He pulled the Ordnance Survey walking map from the pocket of his hiking pants. "At the end of this valley is a fork in the path. We can either go left or right. Which one leads us to Camelot? It used to be the left one, but these days it bends off to the left far too sharp for my liking."

"Ah, but the left path also leads us passed a village." If Gwaine didn't know any better then he'd say Merlin's wide smile lit up the valley. "Last time I was there it had a pub and a high praised bed and breakfast, where they serve the best bacon and eggs of this part of Britain. I don't know about you guys, but after all these days of hiking and sleeping in the tent I can do with a hot shower."

The idea sounded like music to Gwaine's ears. He felt somewhat dirty from the lack of warm water and his back ached in many places. Never before had he walked for so long on end, carrying a heavy load on his back. Usually a horse carried his bags and he didn't take half as much with him. Aside from his own sets of clothes he also carried parts of their modest tent, some rations and his digital camera. Of course he wasn't complaining about the last part.

All along their now three weeks long journey Gwaine had taken many photographs. His camera recorded the differences to the world he left behind hundreds of years ago. Green fields surrounded by hedgerows where once a huge labyrinth stood, villages where once the plains of Denaria seemed empty of life and dry land where once the Sea of Meredor was the obstacle which stood between him and the Isle of the Blessed.

Time had been unkind to the former place of magic. Its walls had crumbled even further into overgrown ruins. Large ferns and white flowers covered what little still rose up into the air. In the eyes of his friends Gwaine saw the same reflection of the sad memory of Lancelot. His sacrifice to save their lives would never be forgotten for as long as they lived. Neither one of them could find the words to express their feelings though. Like one they had mourned their lost brother for a long, silent moment before they continued their hike towards more memories.

"Lead the way", Gwaine smiled to Merlin while he put his map away. The 21st century was waiting for them just outside the forest covered valley. Gwaine couldn't wait to be ordering his first pint of cold beer in weeks. "The first round of drinks is on me." His promise met with happy laughter. Even Arthur's eyes lit up at the prospect of luxury in their near future.

* * *

Far away from the valley Jack took a sip from his coffee. Gwen and Ianto joined him in his office inside the Hub for a short break from anything and everything to do with aliens. Times like these were spread rather thin lately. From the day Jack revived in the hospital and went back to work the next day it was as if all the scum of the universe knew about it. The last few weeks the rift spat out all sorts of alien mischief at high frequency. It kept Torchwood running to catch up with all the things that could possibly go wrong.

While Jack loved the thrill of the chase his mind wasn't always with it. Ever since his car accident there was a part of his memory missing. He'd read up on what happened on the M4 in the newspapers, but what had he been doing there to begin with? The sight of the totalled jeep didn't trigger his memory, nor did the contents. In fact they were just confusing him to this date. A leather cord with a silver pendant of a Celtic symbol called a triskelion meant nothing to him. So he put it in the pocket of his greatcoat and moved on to forget all about it all over again.

"I've been reading the book you gave me, Ianto". Gwen's chatter interrupted Jack's far too dark musings.

Glad for the distraction he grabbed it with both hands. "What… now you're reading the tales of Camelot too?" For effect he rolled his eyes.

Gwen stuck out her tongue to him while she accepted another biscuit from Ianto. With a shrug she offered, "It's more than a legend, Jack, and you know it. What we saw Merlin do right here in the Hub when he healed Ianto was special. For once the unexplainable is beautiful and you still see fault?"

Jack shook his head at her. "No… Well, maybe yes. The books tell us only so much. The truth behind Camelot, King Arthur and his round table… we may never know it. Come on, it can't all be all good. They called it the dark ages for some reason, right? In all I have seen I know one thing for sure, no time was or ever will be without fault.

"Hmm, I guess so. In truth the legend is based on Chinese whispers anyway. Even so there must be something in the heart of it all." Ianto mused. "For example, no one even knows where Camelot used to be. What happened to it? Did it fall, or just fade away? Today so many places claim to be Camelot, but is there even anything left of it?"

"Merlin would know", Gwen answered his rhetorical question.

Jack shook his head at that. "Oh, I am sure he does, but there is no chance he will uncover the truth to us. From what I have seen he's as protective of the town as he is of his friends. Until he knows how to trust in us we have to be patient."

"So… the mystery continues", Ianto grinned as he walked out of the office, taking the dirty coffee mugs with him.

Jack watched with an amused smile when Gwen hurried after Ianto, firing more questions about the book at him as they walked down the stairs. In his heart Jack knew only one man besides Merlin could give them the answers, but he doubted that the Doctor would be coming back to Cardiff any time soon.

* * *

The three friends walked up the last set of steps, which led out of the valley. Not long to go now until they could wrap themselves under the covers of a soft bed. A good night's rest, Merlin was looking forward to it. Quiet nightmares snuck up to him last night and they kept him awake for most of it. They made little sense to him, but Merlin feared the bad dreams were a sign of trouble yet to come. Was Albion facing danger already?

By morning Merlin tried to shake off the unwanted feelings. For a while he succeeded, but then they'd reached the Valley of the Fallen Kings. A powerful image of bright light and cold steel flashed into his mind, but again it was unclear to him what it meant. Were his dark visions born from the nearby crystals telling him something? Not in the mood to deal with it he pushed it all down to return to the moment.

When Merlin stepped out into the daylight again, leaving the forest covered valley behind, he breathed a sigh of relief. "To the B&B it is." With a happy smile he took the path, which forked left.

Several feet behind Merlin, down below in the valley, a hint of steel glistened from beneath the leaves of the bushes. Its targets were too far away to scan and so space module 45268 remained dormant… for now.


	14. HP: Chapter three

**Chapter three**

Jack spent the remainder of the afternoon running around town. The rift computers had located a new alien presence. Blowfish were an alien race. They looked a lot like humans, but only below neck. The huge difference was in the fact that they had fins on top and on the back of their heads, thick lips, red scales all over and gills on their cheeks. So part human and part fish, hence their unflattering name.

While they chased this particular specimen Jack grit his teeth in annoyance. This race of aliens seemed so stupid to him. They served no purpose! The handful or so he had met were all petty thieves, causing mischief around them for the sake of what they called fun. This younger male had stolen a rather expensive car and crashed it into a city bus. And that was only before tea! Who knew what else he had done? Jack had stopped adding things to the list of crimes hours ago.

The shadows on the streets drew longer and longer. Torchwood still hadn't caught the agile blowfish, but being who they were and what their job was they continued chasing the damned alien into yet another street.

"Next street to your left, Jack. Gwen, if you take the alley coming up on your right then you may be able to cut it off." Ianto instructed over their headsets from inside the Hub. It was a good thing Jack hadn't allowed him to come on this particular mission. Now Ianto could trace the faint signature of the stolen alien technology the blowfish had with him and use it to guide them.

There it was! "Oh no, you stay away Torchwood." It snarled when Jack turned around the corner, only to stop dead in his tracks. To his annoyance the blowfish had just grabbed a young child. Her innocent eyes were filled with tears of fear for the scary monster, which held her at gun point.

"Please", her scared mother cried out. "Help her, anyone… please help her."

With a signal of his hand Jack let Gwen know to hold back and comfort the mother. He holstered his gun and held up both his hands, showing that he posed no threat. It was of course a lie, but it wasn't the first time he bluffed his way out of a situation. "Come on, let the child go. She's done you no harm."

The blowfish scoffed. "It is not her I need to protect myself from. You lot, you put us away and for what? Just let me be free and I promise I will behave."

Jack shared a look of disbelief with Gwen. "Sure, and I am not a handsome man at all." It was with great effort Jack didn't react to the snort coming over his headpiece. Once he returned to the Hub he had to kiss some sense into Ianto for sure!

"Okay then, let's say that I believe you." Jack stepped a little closer. "First things first though. Let the child go and we can talk."

Once more the blowfish weighed in his options with a nervous glance over the street around him. "Is this a promise, Torchwood?" Their name rolled off his tongue in an angered snarl of mistrust. It sounded to Jack like he masked his nerves with as much contempt as he could muster.

Knowing that now was not the time to unsettle a blowfish Jack decided to forego taunting him and only nodded his head. Once more he snuck closer, showing Gwen with another hidden signal of his hand to use her tranquilizer gun while he distracted it. They had to work fast, because with one squeeze of a finger the alien could kill the girl held at gunpoint. Last thing they needed was her brains splattered over the pavement. Even as he took another step he nodded to signal Gwen not to waste a second…

With a whimper and in a pile of lobes, fins and limbs the blowfish fell to the ground moments after a dart hit his side. Jack nodded once to Gwen in confirmation of the fact she'd done well to follow his order without question. At last the half man, half fish was dealt with and there was no more running to be done for his team.

Crying the little girl ran from where the blowfish had fallen. In mere second she'd clung her small hand to her mother's legs, who lifted her up in her arms to make sure her daughter was safe. "Thank you", she said to Jack before she walked away from the scene with her precious child on her arm.

In answer Jack winked to her, glad that at least he'd done right by mother and child. But as the onlookers walked off his eyes caught sight of the snoring mess of blowfish. Ah yes, the not so glorious side of being part of Torchwood; clean up duty.

* * *

The owner of the bed and breakfast welcomed Merlin with every bit of the bouncing energy he remembered from each previous time when he visited here. It was only because he knew she had celebrated her seventieth birthday last winter that he saw her as such. Most people would only give her sixty years at most. "Michael Cane!" A motherly kiss on his cheek stated her happiness. As always he couldn't help but blush a little at her enthusiastic greeting, even more so now with his friends watching.

"It's been too long. Have you been eating enough? Gosh, let me look at you, Michael. Still as lean and fit as ever, I see. You haven't aged one bit. How is that fair?" An endless flow of remarks came his way, words falling like rain.

When his firm, but amused look met her pale green eyes she faltered. At last she caught on to the fact that she had held on a little too tight in her enthusiasm. "Oh, you. Next time don't wait so long to come back for a visit", she admonished with no ill feelings for how he peeled himself out of her arms with a mock glare.

Merlin stepped back with a grin then to show her that they had company who knew nothing of how they'd met. Though to him it was but a blip of time for the elder woman it was a second chance in life, because his magic had restarted her heart and healed it. Ever since that day she'd ran her bed and breakfast to have some company and a new purpose in life. Merlin had been her first guest and, of course she would not hear of it, he never had to pay for his room during his visits since.

"I have not come alone this time. These two here are my friends, Arthur and Gwaine. Guys, this is Mrs. Hughes."

With the same ease as before she shook their hands. "I keep telling you, love… call me Emily, please. You and your friends are of course most welcome to stay, however I am almost fully booked. All I can offer the three of you is the family room, with one double and one single bed."

Merlin looked to both his friends and found no objections in their eyes. It seemed to him that they were just as happy as he was at the prospect of sleeping in a proper bed for once. After all the quests they had been on in the past and now their camping trip as well they'd gotten used to the others' snoring anyway.

Arthur voiced their thoughts, "We'd be happy to accept your kind offer." Merlin smiled when his friend accepted the keys from Emily with a shallow bow of his head.

"Follow me", she said before she led them to the family room. After showing them all the facilities, for Arthur and Gwaine's benefit, she left the three friends to it.

With a sigh of relief Merlin dropped his backpack on the floor and himself on the double bed. He watched as Arthur and Gwaine followed suit and started unpacking a few of their things. "First dibs on the shower." Before either Merlin or Gwaine could react to it Arthur headed for the bathroom with a towel and a change of clothes in his hands. In a flash the door shut out their complaints. "Always the King first", came the muffled excuse from the other side.

Merlin wasn't surprised to see Gwaine roll his eyes… and in his mind he agreed with the sentiment that someone had to set Arthur straight. A plan of revenge formed even as the first drops of warm water fell on the floor in the bathroom. "Wait for it", Merlin let Gwaine in on the fact that their revenge would taste sweet. For effect and to ensure that Arthur stood underneath the spray of the shower Merlin waited for a bit longer. "Here we go", with glowing eyes Merlin whispered a spell.

It was satisfying to hear Arthur yelp undignified when the hot water turned stone cold for a few long moments. "Merlin!"

Laughing Merlin and Gwaine fell back onto the bed. Maybe Arthur had first dibs on the shower but his two friends had already taken the huge, comfy double bed in his absence.

* * *

For once Ianto wasn't complaining to be left behind on a mission. There was something far better to do with his time then running after a blowfish. In spite of all the fun his friends made of his love for the Arthurian legends he just couldn't resist to figure out how much of all the stories was truth and if maybe, just maybe, he could find out where Camelot used to be.

Even though many before him had tried Ianto knew that he had an advantage they had not known; the Torchwood Archives. Over the last century or so their team and those before them had build the largest archive on Earth when it came to strange phenomena. So many reports, secrets and strange artefacts were locked within it. Often they were archived without anyone having the time to find out how it worked or where it came from. Ianto didn't know what he was looking for, but it didn't matter. The old fashioned way of searching was half the fun for him. Maybe it would take a lifetime, but he figured that in the end he was bound to find something… or so he hoped.

Most of the people who worked for Torchwood didn't like the archives much, but Ianto enjoyed the fact it was quiet down here. Shelves filled with boxes, each one marked with the Torchwood helix, rose up from the floor to the ceiling, going on in what looked like endless rows of piled up documents and whatnot. No one knew their way around the huge, dust covered room as well as Ianto did. It was with ease he walked over to the pile he had stopped his search the last time. A label marked the year; 1914.

Ever since Ianto found the newspaper with Merlin's photograph he had a feeling the man had crossed paths with Torchwood in that year. It was an educated guess at best or maybe nothing but wishful thinking on his part. Which ever it was though it was a fact that Merlin had been in the Cardiff area around then, because the newspaper was printed by a local publisher of the early 20th century. A trip to the city archives had confirmed it for him.

Once more Ianto looked at the blown up copy he made of the newspaper photograph. He had let a local historian confirm it to him that it was taken at the Cardiff Airport. From there many young men were taken to London to join forces with other British soldiers who were then sent to Belgium to fight for their country. Many believed they would be back home soon, but the sad truth was most young soldiers didn't return. Those who did were never the same again. Ianto wondered what the Great War had been like for the two men he knew. He could only imagine the things they'd seen and done, for he had a feeling neither would ever talk about it.

Browsing through old documents and some more photographs there were no answers to be found today. Hmm, strange. There was an old, bronze lying on the bottom of the now emptied out cardboard box. What was it for? Puzzled Ianto picked it up to stare at it. Only three inches long in size it seemed as ordinary as it was covered in spots of rust. Shrugging he put it to the side before he looked at the time on his watch.

Oops… as always he'd spent more time down here than he realised. He decided to go upstairs now and call the pizza delivery people. Jack and Gwen would be back soon and he bet they were hungry. Truth be told, he was too.

* * *

Jack and Gwen were still staring down at the mess on the pavement when a female voice cut into their discussion on how to deal with the blowfish. "Did anyone call for a proper alien expert?" The teasing in her voice rang loud and clear.

With a grin Jack turned around to greet her and answer her taunt. "Doctor Martha Jones, am I glad to hear your beautiful voice." To his amusement she only smiled at his welcome before she allowed him to wrap her up in a huge hug. "Don't tell me. This blowfish upset you lot of UNIT too?"

Smiling Martha nodded. "He stole something important. I can't go into what it is since it's classified and all. Well, you know how it works, right? Anyway we can't let this one go and we need to take him with us for interrogation." She turned to the two men who had come to Cardiff with her and ordered them to get to work.

Jack noticed that both men wore the cute red hats typical for the UNIT soldiers, but he decided not to beg her for one this time in favour of getting on with things. "Well… just because it is you then. Truth is that for once I am happy for your people to take trouble out of our hands. Our cells are getting too full as it is."

As he spoke the two men carried the blowfish into the back of the dark blue van which stood parked on the side of the road. A third man sat behind the wheel, his profile formed a shadow behind the tinted windows. It seemed to Jack like Martha had it the UNIT mission under control. "Do you have to go back with them or shall I ask Ianto to order a fourth pizza?"

For a moment Martha hesitated, "Another time, yeah?"

With a nod Jack understood. Seconds later the van sped away, leaving Jack and Gwen to stare at the tail lights. Looking at each other Jack grinned before he accepted Gwen's offered arm. Hooking their arms together they walked back to the Hub in the fading light of the mild tempered evening. They set a firm pace safe in the knowledge that Ianto awaited them with fresh brewed coffees and hot pizzas. It was the traditional end of a long day at Torchwood, and they looked forward to it.


	15. HP: Chapter four

**Chapter four**

With their bellies full of dinner and beer the three friends returned to their room in the bed and breakfast. Merlin had brought his small laptop along in his backpack for one reason alone, so that Gwaine could upload his many photographs. The two settled on the double bed, allowing enough room for Arthur to lie on their right side. Not before long they were browsing through the images of the last few weeks.

It wasn't the first time Merlin travelled this path through his past, but never before had he bothered to bring a camera. He'd always feared it would do nothing but bring back unpleasant memories. While it was true it seemed to bring back the fun times on this occasion as well. Lying on the bed he laughed at Gwaine's stories of the pranks the knights pulled on each other. Leon deliberately falling off his horse landing in the water of a creek right in front of the King who'd just praised his riding skills. Elyan facing the cook with fear in his eyes when it were Gwaine and Percival who'd stolen her food instead. The old days when they didn't have to face duty or danger were remembered with light hearts.

Sobering up Merlin stared at the photographs of the remains of a typical coal mine. Why people once felt the need to dig a large hole into the beautiful countryside was something he still couldn't fathom. It was all done in their eager for fossil fuels, but since then humanity moved on to other ways. Now his childhood home was all gone to be replaced by a ruined landscape, where it was too dangerous to walk. The sad contrast was just too much to take still after all the centuries.

When a comforting hand touched his shoulder Merlin looked up into Arthur's eyes and said, "You wanted to see all of time gone by. Well, this abandoned coal mine is proof of it. In our time this used to be Ealdor." During their journey Merlin felt unable to say it out loud, but now he knew he could no longer avoid the cold truth.

Two stunned pairs of eyes looked back at him. "Merlin, this is…" Arthur started, but he trailed off lost for words.

Merlin finished the sentence for his friend with his own train of thought. "Fifteen hundred years of time, give or take the odd bunch of years, is what it is. Progress of humanity some will say, but I am not so sure. Our environment is worth holding on to and only for the last few decades have we come to see it as such."

"Us humans are a strange lot, yeah?" Gwaine's joke and a clap on his shoulder from Arthur as signs of comfort made Merlin grin.

"Oh, you don't know the half of it. The stories I can tell you…" On purpose Merlin let his voice trail off. He was rewarded by grins and rolling eyes at his play at being mysterious once more. In truth he wondered how aware his two friends were of how letting his stories out was like opening a can of worms he could never close again.

Merlin wasn't surprised when Arthur was the first to turn serious again. "Dare I ask what awaits us tomorrow? Please Merlin, I need to know how Camelot fared through time."

"Far better than Ealdor, but don't get your hopes up for a lot of it has fallen into ruin. The lower town is no more and only the citadel remains. Its riches were plundered before I could stop it. The Saxons they… well, anyway, they are history too now. What is left is protected from the outside world by a spell and the vessel which grounds it. Tomorrow you will see what I did, but the short story is that I managed to hide her from sight. No one can find it when I don't want them to."

"Good man", Gwaine said before he clapped Merlin on the back.

A firm nod of Arthur and a rare look filled with strong emotions the King could barely keep inside told Merlin he'd done the right thing.

In the quiet of the honest moment shared between them Merlin wished he had the courage to explain all; how it was Leon who had shown him the path and how it was his honourable spirit which held Camelot safe for its King. Twice he tried to find the words. Twice he choked on emotions he had not forgotten over the centuries. Friendship had never meant the same thing since Leon. Unable to get passed the walls he had erected himself Merlin settled on, "I just couldn't bear it if tourists trampled over the last bits of our home. The path to Camelot will only be revealed to those who remember it. Let's just leave it at that…"

* * *

A whisper in the dark night woke Jack up. At first he believed it was Ianto who had spoken, but his lover was sound asleep at his side. Maybe he dreamt it? Shaking his head Jack pushed back the sheets and got up. On his bare feet and clad in his pyjama trousers he walked into the living room. With the curtains open the light of the moon shone inside Ianto's modern and homely apartment. It helped Jack find his way to the large window from where he had a spectacular view over Cardiff in the darkness of the night.

More and more Jack stayed over for the night. Ever since Ianto had almost died he just couldn't ignore the way he felt about the younger man. Love had found a way into his heart, even though he tried to stay away from it ever since the last lover he was forced to say goodbye to. It seemed his heart was more stubborn than his brain. Now he was doomed to live with a broken heart again the day Ianto inevitably died. Jack could only pray he was saved from such heartache for decades to come.

"Captain", a soft whisper Jack almost failed to hear came over the air. Turning away from the window he was unsure what to expect. The logical side of him knew that no one could enter the flat without breaking in, but still he half expected someone to be there. Startled he found a grey haired man looking back at him with a knowing smile.

"Captain", this time it was as if his name was spoken in his mind. How could this be? No one in this time could use telepathy, or could they? Curious in spite of himself he delayed in pulling up a mental barrier. All he got though were more questions, "Have you warned Emrys? What is your team still doing here in Cardiff?"

Jack stepped forward, trying to be sure of himself as he confronted the man. "You broke into the flat and now into my mind as well. Who are you? Tell me what you are doing, or I throw you out of both." Unaware of it his eyes had taken on a guarded stare of steel.

Confusion dawned in the mysterious intruder's light blue eyes. "You don't recognise me from before?"

Narrowing his eyes Jack remained silent in his clear denial. For some strange reason he wasn't afraid of this man. He was not just a burglar or someone who had some other criminal purpose on mind. In his long sleeved grey shirt, dark jeans and brown coat the man seemed unthreatening and normal, yet with his psychic abilities Jack believed that he was dealing with someone out of time.

His hesitation prompted the man to shake his head. "This can't be. No one said this was possible. Captain Harkness, you must remember me, or everything is lost. Emrys needs your help to save us all."

The only word to make sense to Jack in all the cryptic nonsense was the name. "Merlin? What does he have to do with you breaking in here? Stop talking in riddles please."

A wry, though amused smile had Jack doubt if answers were forthcoming. "Now is not the time. We must make you remember first. My plea will make sense to you then."

In frustration Jack rolled his eyes, ready to call out to Ianto so that they could take the stranger down and take him to the Hub for some proper answers. He never got the chance though. "Onslæp nu", a flash of gold to go along with the two words was the last thing Jack saw. Magic, he realised as he fell to the floor that this man was alike Merlin.

While sleep claimed him strange words were whispered into his mind. The language as mysterious and ancient in feeling as the owner of the voice. Unable to fight the magic induced sleep Jack vowed to himself to find out who this stranger was once he was back up and running again.

* * *

The sun beamed onto Arthur's face, waking him up. Grumbling he reached for the covers, so he could sneak back under them. To his annoyance his free hand failed to come up with any and his other hand, or rather most of his right arm, was trapped beneath a warm body. He opened his eyes to find a head of short, messy raven hair lying against his chest. It seemed Merlin was the type to snuggle…

Merlin? How come he was in bed with his best friend? Arthur's sleep clouded mind tried to remember the night before when they were watching photographs on the laptop. They must have fallen asleep while they talked about their past life. He lifted his head a little to look beyond Merlin's sleeping form. Sure enough, Gwaine was lying on the other side of the bed. The former knight was half awake too. One brown eye opened before Gwaine smiled and snuggled back under all the covers. Ah, right. That explained where the covers had gone to. For one fleeting moment Arthur felt annoyed, but he found he didn't have the energy to do something about it. The soft bed was far too inviting still.

In spite of himself Arthur found he couldn't fall back asleep. His thoughts kept straying back to what Merlin told him the night before. Camelot had fallen, maybe not all of it, but Arthur just couldn't get past it. Deep in his heart he feared as much and he'd even expected it, but to hear the words spoken out loud had upset him. The home where he grew up was no more. It was something he already knew, but tomorrow the truth would be there for him to see with his own eyes. The idea of it was now more daunting than ever before and still he felt determined not to be swayed by fear.

"I can hear you think all the way from here", Gwaine whispered from the other side of the bed.

"Maybe if you give me back some of the covers I will stop thinking." Arthur figured he could give it a try.

After a bit of twisting and turning Gwaine handed him some of the covers, but instead of retreating his arm Gwaine let it rest on Merlin's lower side. Arthur smiled at the gentleness of the knight's actions. It seemed like he wasn't the only one who still felt the need to protect Merlin. Of course he wasn't to admit to this particular truth, but Gwaine's knowing glance and equal resistance to move over to the single bed said enough for the both of them.

* * *

Well rested for the first time in days Merlin sat at the breakfast table. The bacon and eggs Emily made the three of them tasted even better than he remembered. All of the other guests were already gone for the day, leaving just the three friends sitting in the dining area. Merlin felt a bit guilty they'd slept beyond any reasonable time for breakfast, but Emily had waved his apology away and she'd said she was happy that he was no longer her 'lone wanderer'. When she returned with a fresh load of warm toast Gwaine pulled up a chair for her. "So where are you lot hiking to next?"

Merlin watched Gwaine show her the trail he'd drawn onto his walking map. "This is the path we have taken so far. Where we're off to next? We just go where the sunshine takes us, or where we feel like going to." In his mind Merlin winced at the lie, but he knew neither one of them wanted to share the truth. This trip was just for the three of them and the three of them alone. It was a final tribute to the world they'd left behind. A way to close off a chapter Merlin had shut behind his walls, because he knew of no other way to deal with it, not even after all these centuries. Maybe now with the scar on his heart closing at last and the dear friends he'd never forgotten standing by his side he stood a chance.

To his amusement Gwaine flirted with Emily a little. "A beautiful lady like you should not do the dishes on her own. Here, let me help." With a smile and an amused shake of her head she accepted his offer. Joking and flirting their voices faded off towards the kitchen.

Soon Merlin and Arthur were left behind to drink the last of the coffee in silence. Arthur had never been a morning person. Merlin remembered all too well the many methods he used to fall back on to in order to rouse the King. Today wasn't any different. While Arthur was up and about his heart still seemed to be sound asleep. Or was it? The blue eyes staring out the window in thought appeared awake enough, even though his friend's mind was miles away.

"What's up, Arthur? Are you having second thoughts?"

"No… of course not." The answer came fast, maybe a bit too fast. Arthur's blue eyes seemed determined all the same.

"Whatever awaits us today, we face it together", Merlin promised. With a smile Arthur pushed back his chair and as Merlin followed suit he felt a hand grab his shoulder. Meeting his friend's eyes he saw the fear and determination make way for gratitude.

"Thanks, _old_ friend."

Merlin grinned at the way Arthur put emphasis on the word old to tease him for having lived for so long, in spite of his youthful looks. "Prat." Grinning they walked off to find Gwaine in the kitchen.


	16. HP: Chapter five

**Chapter five**

Ianto was surprised to wake up rather late in the morning. On any given day Jack had gotten up long before he would raise Ianto from his sleep and beat the alarm clock to it with a few minutes to spare. Soft kisses and whispered promises of what the day could bring were the best way to wake up to, but today he'd received neither. For a change his morning began with the annoying beeps of his alarm clock… and Jack was nowhere in sight. His absence had Ianto worry even as he shut up the dreadful sound. Winkled sheets told him that Jack had slept on his side, or at least for the few hours his lover managed to pass out. The unexpected quiet in the apartment made him jump out of bed, in spite of his naked form.

Ianto wasted no time to get up. Maybe his team needed him? With practiced ease he slipped into his suit trousers and the smart shirt he had hung out last evening so he could wear it today. Walking out of his bedroom he figured that he would brew a coffee and call Jack to find out what went on…

… But when he walked into the living room he saw Jack's sleeping form lying on the middle of the floor. His earlier worry returned with a vengeance. Ianto ran the rest of the way over the unconscious heap of his lover on the floor. What had happened to Jack? The fact that he was still out of it so late in the morning confused Ianto to no end. Even when he was hurt Jack woke up before anyone else did. Ianto had a feeling the older man healed better than any mortal man. Kneeling down at Jack's side in a quest for answers Ianto shook him with a gentle push of his hands. "Come on, Jack. Wake up for me please."

For a few terrifying moments Jack remained silent, then in an abrupt flash of movement he awoke and scrambled onto his feet. "What the…" Two orbs of startled blue looked to Ianto for answers, who could only shrug before Jack continued, "That was one hell of a dream… no correction; it was the strangest memory recall I ever experienced. The Time Agency has nothing on this guy."

Ianto's concern was replaced by his rising confusion. "Jack, why were you on the floor? You bloody well scared me", he admitted.

"Last night we had a mysterious visitor and he reminded me of the warning he gave me out there in the Beacons. For some reason I forgot about meeting him, but he returned the memory to me. I think he needed to put me to sleep for his magic to work. Anyway we have to get back to the Hub and find out where Merlin is hiding at the moment, so we can warn him trouble is coming."

Ianto rolled his eyes at Jack's enthusiasm at yet another mystery in amusement. It did not even registrar to his lover what he had admitted. No, of course Jack would ignore that bit. Well… two could play this game. Though it was early still Ianto's usual dry wit seemed as sharp as ever, "Not dressed like this I hope?" He pointed at the low hung pyjama bottoms and his lover's naked chest with a smile.

A naughty wink was his only answer at first. The amused gesture had Ianto believe for a few seconds that he had the Captain beat, but as always Jack had to have to last word. Walking off with a sway in his hips he called out over his shoulder, "Not without one of your strong coffees either!"

Grinning in spite of the fact that he was still confused and actually had not gotten any wiser for his efforts Ianto walked into the kitchen to do as asked. Life with Jack sure was never boring. While it sometimes was a bit too much to deal with Ianto knew he was already curious about where it would lead them to. Jack had mentioned Merlin, magic and quite possibly druids in just a few sentences. Ianto couldn't wait until the two of them and Gwen were at the Hub together for Jack to explain it all. Another Torchwood mission seemed to lie in wait and in spite of himself he was, like Jack, already buzzing with excitement.

* * *

Less than an hour later the Torchwood team gathered in Jack's office. "Long story short, my memory of the day of the accident has returned. I now know I traced a vague alien signal up into the Brecon Beacons. Instead of finding an alien though I met this older, grey haired man who appeared out of nowhere. Under the low clouds of the thick hill fog it almost felt as if he wasn't there, and he was gone in flash too. Maybe he's like Merlin and he can travel in ways we can't understand yet."

Jack and Gwen grinned when Ianto mouthed the word magic. With a smile Jack ignored the obvious, because he felt that there was more to the story than just magic. "Without answering my questions he spoke of Merlin in a few cryptic sentences. He wanted me to warn the man and was quite adamant I hurry. You will love this, Ianto, because he called him Emrys and he also spoke of the Once and Future King and the centre of old."

"King Arthur and Camelot? Do you think he could have meant those?" Ianto asked with eager for more information in his eyes obvious.

With a smile Jack nodded, "This man seemed every inch the druid you read about in books, or you see wander around in the movies. So yes, I feel he meant all of those."

"But his visit last night is where it gets really confusing. A whisper woke me and then out of the blue he appeared inside your apartment. How he'd gotten in? Beats me. The door was still locked firm when I checked. I confronted him about it, but once more he was being his cryptic self. He was equally as shocked as we were that I didn't remember the day of his first visit and for some reason it became his priority to help me. All the same he repeated his warning before he put me to sleep and healed me, with magic."

Jack paused for a moment to swallow down his coffee. "There is more to this man though than magic and being a druid. This time he was dressed for the 21st century, but he seemed to be from a time yet to come."

Gwen interrupted him, "He's from the future? Why do you think so?"

"Ah, this is where it gets even more interesting. Back in my time, or is that forward in time?" Jack grinned before he continued, "I learned a few psychic tricks and was trained in a low level of telepathy." He wasn't surprised to find two pairs of eyes fill with questions. "The human brain is complex and even in the 51st century we haven't figured it all out. Some of us could use telepathy, but others never got the hang of it. When I spoke to the stranger for the second time his voice came to my mind as clear as you can hear me now. No human I met before in any of my travels were this gifted at maintaining a link this strong. It was kinda scary and thrilling all at once."

"So… you are a telepath."

Jack could see the confusion and hurt feelings shine in Ianto's eyes. There were so many secrets he kept to himself, but Jack knew that he would never be able to tell his friends everything. His life was far too long for them to comprehend it. Hadn't he lived it himself he wouldn't understand either. "No… well yes, I suppose. I can hear people talk this way to me and send some words back to them. Nothing more than that though. It's not like in those movies where someone can read another person's mind all the time. That would be too weird, even for Torchwood."

With a grin and a nod to Ianto to let his lover know that he was aware of the fact he had to make it up to him Jack ended his story. "What all of this is about of course is the warning he needs us to pass on. We need to concentrate on this first. One day I'll find out who this man is, but not today. Merlin and his friends are our main priority. Where is he? Gwen, get the computer to search for him again. Add each one of their credit cards, bank accounts and anything else you can come up with to the search. I already tried calling the guy, but his phone is either switched off or he's left it behind." He'd barely finished ordering her when Gwen headed down into the main area of the Hub.

Jack turned to Ianto, "While we wait you should continue your search for clues on the legend in the archives. The druid, let's call him that for now, spoke of a key. Maybe it's down there?"

To Jack's surprise Ianto gave him a smirk before he pushed back his chair back from the table to get up. "You may want to come down there with me then if a key is what we need to find."

Speechless Jack made the gesture with his right arm for Ianto to lead the way.

* * *

At the reception desk of the bed and breakfast Merlin opened his wallet on automatic to pay, but Emily would have none of it. "Michael, you should know better by now. All I ask is that you will come back for a visit one day… and bring your handsome friends along."

In answer to her offer Gwaine bowed before her and he kissed her hand with a naughty wink. "Any time, milady. The pleasure shall be ours".

While Arthur rolled his eyes at the blatant flirting from his knight Emily smiled before she walked over to where Merlin just about managed to put his wallet away in time to answer her hug. "Be safe out there, Michael. And don't be a stranger. I am always glad to have you around."

In answer to her warm presence Merlin squeezed her frame before he stepped away. "I will see you again, Mrs. Hughes." He winked to let her know he'd teased her by using her surname. Seeing her well had made him feel happy. Of course she would fall victim to time, but for now he would enjoy how she lived her senior years to the fullest.

With a sigh Merlin lifted his bag onto his back. Today wasn't going to be easy for him, but he'd made a promise to his friends which he intended to keep. Camelot awaited the return of its king. All Merlin hoped was that his friends were ready to face centuries of time gone by. Saying goodbye to Emily with a last wave of his hand he turned to follow his two friends, who had already headed outside in their impatience.

Met with bright sunlight Merlin blinked. He grinned when he saw Gwaine sweep the hair from his eyes and the wind blow it straight back into his face. Not deterred by it the knight pulled an elastic band from his pocket to tie his locks into a nonchalant ponytail. Even from a few feet away Merlin heard Arthur mutter, "You could always get a haircut."

The quiet yet dark stare was the only answer Gwaine seemed willing to give and Merlin agreed in silence. Somehow the longer hair suited his friend perfect. Once finished with tying up his hair Gwaine stepped passed Arthur with a mock glare and he walked over to Merlin's side with the map in his hands once more. "So which path do we take?"

"One which isn't on any map, so you can put it away for now. Just follow me and you will find out soon enough." Without awaiting any reaction Merlin stepped out of the front gate and he headed for the road out of the village. He didn't need to look back to know that his friends would follow after sharing a moment of, what is he up to now? This time he wasn't being mysterious just to hide something he couldn't share. It was just far easier to show them what was coming rather than to tell them.

* * *

In the Torchwood archives Jack was led to the pile marked by a label with the year 1914. An opened box stood on a small table. It was clear this was the one Ianto had been going through last. "Is this the key we are looking for?" Triumphant over his find Ianto showed him an old, bronze key.

Jack narrowed his eyes at how normal it looked. Could the strange druid man have meant this one? Confused he accepted the key from Ianto. The instant he held it in his hands Jack felt it push an image to the front of his mind…

 _In a flash he stood in the midst of a cobble stone square. In front of him stood a large castle build from soft yellow stone, which looked almost white in the bright light of the sun. Several proud towers rose up high into the blue sky. Statues rose up from pedestals, or ledges, and elegant windows brought the light of day inside. Jack thought the castle was beautiful and strong at once, like it was a stronghold of some status._

 _He blinked when he noticed the set of stairs which lead up to a set of opened, large wooden doors. Two men were coming out of the hallway inside, and he just knew that he had met them before. The first man was dressed in a brown coat, dark trousers and a dark blue tunic. Around his neck he wore a frayed looking red cloth. The blonde man by his side was dressed in armour, chainmail and a long, red cape with the crest of a golden dragon. "Sire", a new arrival called out. His dark longish hair connected the final dot, for he was the exact same person Jack expected to turn up. Merlin, Arthur and Gwaine… but where were they? And when was this?_

 _"Camelot"_ , the calm voice of the druid came to him out of nowhere. _"This is the citadel as it was when King Arthur ruled it. Captain, trust in the magic of the key and it will take you there."_

Jack narrowed his eyes at the cryptic whisper spoken in his mind. _"How?"_

He half expected no answer, but the druid seemed to be helpful this time. _"The key is enchanted just like the town itself. Merlin hid it from sight, but you can use the warm power of his magic. Just listen to it and envision the town in all its glory. It will give you a sense of direction. Follow it and it is bound to lead you there. Warn Emrys, Captain…"_

A deep voice interrupted the moment, "Jack, what's happening. Are you okay?"

With a smile Jack opened his eyes to meet Ianto's concerned expression. "Yeah… I am. Wow, this key sure is what we need. I was just shown Camelot in my mind. I know it sounds strange, but this key is enchanted. It will help us show the way. Are you ready to find the town of legends, Ianto?"

Jack was amused when Ianto nodded with an almost youthful eager, in spite of his earlier worries for him. For a moment they each stared at the old key in excitement. Then both ran out of the archives and into the Hub. "Gwen, we found it! Get your coat, we're out of here." Jack's order was followed without question. Mere seconds later the Torchwood jeep sped the team off into their next mission.


	17. HP: Chapter six

**Chapter six**

Beyond the trees was the path Merlin had hidden from prying eyes. Camelot was at the end of it, but only those who knew in their hearts that the once glorious town was there could see it. The spell he created and used pushed the boundaries of what men deemed reality. It tricked people's vision into believing what was there really wasn't. Their minds fooled them into wanting to walk passed. No one dared enter the path; no one but the three former citizens. Or at least it was what Merlin hoped for. Ever since he had cast the gut driven spell centuries ago not a soul had walked the path but him. However if he'd made one mistake in the grief struck state he'd been in at the time then both Arthur and Gwaine could fall for the trick too…

"Do you still have the map? Show me where we are, if you can." Just before reaching the hidden path Merlin stopped his friends from walking on.

Gwaine gave him a confused frown while he did as asked. Unfolding the map he pointed at the route they had taken. "This is where we started this morning. From the village we walked to the north and then took a left turn, so I'd say we are around here." None the wiser yet he looked up, and Merlin could not help but grin at the obvious way his friend felt conflicted about their surroundings without being able to grasp why.

Ready to enlighten him he nodded. "Now humour me. Look at the map again and then look to the world around you. Can you spot the differences between the two realities?"

Merlin waited while Arthur joined Gwaine in his search. Within seconds they both looked shocked and then slow recognition of the way ahead dawned. "You hid the path to Camelot? Gosh Merlin, you never do things by halves, do you?" Arthur exclaimed with a pride in his voice which caused Merlin to blush.

After Gwaine pulled him tight for a moment the knight nodded in understanding. Merlin was glad to see his friends appreciated his measures. To him Camelot was more than just history. It was what he had fought for with all of his heart and where his destiny still revolved around. To be on his way back there accompanied by friends for the first time in ages seemed almost surreal to him. To actually have Arthur and Gwaine at his side was everything he had hoped for over the centuries.

Two sides of the same coin? Well, it seemed the druid prophecies were proven wrong about this one. For some inexplicable reason there were three sides to their friendship, now even more so than the first time around. Three sides to a coin? Impossible… and yet, maybe not. Merlin grinned at the sudden image his mind provided. Yeah, life just wouldn't be the same without Gwaine.

Merlin looked at his friends then, happy by the fact that his spell worked had proven perfect to this moment. It did not seem to have diminished in power either. While Gwaine ruffled his short raven hair and Merlin tried to straighten it Arthur walked on at a brisk pace. "Come on you two, let's go. Maybe we can get to Camelot before dark."

By the serious look and the stern way Arthur had spoken to them Merlin realised that he was quite serious about it. Half running he caught up with his friend, "What's the hurry?"

The only explanation coming was a shrug, but when Gwaine seemed to be in the same eager to get there Merlin realised the truth. Camelot had anchored them all in the world and while he'd remained connected to it throughout time his friends got ripped from it so fast that their brains had not followed. Sure they still had their memories, but to be there again in person was what they needed more than anything to close the door on the past. And who was he to deny them that? So without any further arguments Merlin followed.

* * *

A brand new black jeep sped out of Cardiff, taking one of the roads up north through the valleys into the country side of Wales. Jack instructed Gwen to drive while he tried to connect to the key with his mind, so he could gather some images of where Camelot used to be and hopefully still was. Each time a flash of a vision, or any sort of hint, came to his mind Jack pointed Gwen off into a new direction. While he saw questions form in her eyes she remained calm and focussed, doing what he asked of her even though none of them was too sure about it.

Jack didn't know what to say, or even think, about his psychic abilities. Too many years had gone by before he last called upon them. It felt strange having to use telepathy again after all this time. He felt insecure about whether he was doing it right. Had he opened his mind too much? The visions the key gave him were even more intense than the conversations he had with the druid.

It felt odd following the druid's instructions without even knowing who he was, but what else could Jack do? If the man was right then Merlin was in deep trouble. Could the warlock of legends actually die? Jack doubted it, but he knew that he couldn't risk it. Merlin had saved Ianto from certain death, so the least they could do now was repay the favour. Even if it meant setting aside his faith in science in favour of the world of magic.

Once more Jack concentrated on the images which came to his mind. The key pulled him further to the east now, so he instructed Gwen to take the next turn to the right. All the while he kept his fingers crossed. Would this be the third time they drove into the wrong direction? He was beginning to get frustrated by the confusing signals he received.

"Stop the car. I need to get outside and see if I get a better feeling for this when I am in the open air", Jack decided on a whim. After Gwen parked the car by the side of the road he got out of the car. Trusting in the fact his team would follow him Jack walked towards a bench up ahead. Before he could sit down though a spark of magic made his right hand tingle. Jack uncurled his fist to find the key he held shine in a golden glow of energy.

 _A handful of men on horseback rode through this forest once. Their red capes billowed out behind them until they reached a crossing of tracks. Each one seemed to fork off into nowhere, but the man riding up front knew to find his way in all sorts of conditions. This was his Kingdom, his home waiting at the end of the path, and so he turned left and spurred on his stallion. Camelot would welcome the King and his men home…_

Jack snapped himself away from the vision of the dark ages. He knew where Camelot was now! It was with a reason he felt the urge to get out of the jeep here. In the corner of his eyes a path appeared from out of nowhere. It was more than likely the one which led to the town of legends. Magic hid in plain sight here, or was it science after all?

This near invisible crossing of paths reminded him of the Doctor and his psychic paper. The Time Lord could think up all sorts of stuff when it came to documents and the piece of clever paper would show it. It was how he gained access into the most secured places throughout the galaxies and time. So many aliens and humans couldn't see passed the illusion the paper created. A perception filter the Doctor called it.

This magical induced filter though felt even more powerful to Jack. It was more than a mind trick, for even now he knew it was there he had to concentrate and only when he did could he see it widen up for him. It seemed Merlin had hidden Camelot very well… maybe even too well? Turning around to face his teammates Jack grinned, "This is it. The path to Camelot." Two blank stares gave away the fact that neither Ianto nor Gwen could see the winding path between the trees.

* * *

All the way while driving Gwen didn't know what to think. Telepathy, magic and now a key to help them guide their way? Working for Torchwood she had learned to expect the unexpected and keep an open mind, but this was stretching it. After all her time spent with Torchwood she could understand aliens. There were more planets than just Earth orbiting the heavens above, so of course there were beings from other worlds. Often they were humanoid, but she could see evolution playing out different in other galaxies and so some aliens were plain weird.

Gwen even accepted time travel existed. With Jack as her team leader and friend she'd heard enough of his tales to take it for what it was. Trying to understand his timeline though gave her a headache, so she had stopped trying to grasp it all some time ago. It was just easier to roll her eyes every time he referred to meeting or making out with a historical person. She never knew when he was being serious or not, and in Ianto's eyes she saw the same questions.

This year the whole Glastonbury Tor experience cemented her beliefs on time travel. Merlin, Arthur and Gwaine defied all logic when it came to time. They were supposed to be legends from the dark ages and therefore they belonged in the past, but somehow they walked the earth in the 21st century. While the idea was exciting Gwen also felt apprehension. What was the reason for it all? Was something bad about to happen? Jack seemed to think so. Once more he knew more than he let on, or did he?

Since waking up this morning Jack told Ianto and her more about himself in one day than ever before and still she knew nothing. Even though he remained so private about his past Gwen still felt bound to trust Jack no matter what. In spite of her mixed feelings about him she knew from experience that his heart was in the right place. If he had a chance to save the world from aliens, or whatever other threat, he would risk it all in order to save human kind.

Today was no different than any other crazy Torchwood mission. It was chaos, confusion, exhilaration and all of the impossible at once. Funny how drastic her ideas on normal had changed since the day she met him. So telepathy? Gwen decided to take Jack's word for it. Maybe this was just another one of those times where everything made sense in the aftermath. If he said the path to Camelot was here, then it was true.

All the same Gwen couldn't hide her confusion before she said. "Well, lead the way then. You are not going to Camelot alone." His bright smile and grin told her that she'd said the right thing. Off Torchwood was again… off into the unknown to explore the impossible.

* * *

Daylight fell between the trees into longer shadows, but Arthur didn't care. One more hill to climb and then he would have whatever was left of Camelot in his sights. He could feel it in his heart that he was getting close to the core of his roots. In spite of his mixed feelings he walked on in determination. He wasn't about to hesitate now, not if he could help it. His eyes needed to see what in his mind he knew was the truth… his home left behind in time.

Arthur barely noticed it when he faltered on the top of the final hill. From there though he could only see trees where Camelot used to be. "It's still there, but the ruins are hidden by the forest." Merlin's almost distant voice came from his side. Arthur nodded, even though his brain refused to register the words. Instead he picked up the pace while he headed for the trees. Before dark he would get there; he just had to.

One look over his shoulder told him that Gwaine still followed on his heals. Merlin was trailing a little behind, with a strange and somewhat sad seriousness in his eyes. For now Arthur decided that he didn't want to know what was on his friend's mind. He ignored the whisper telling him how it was both a warning and a sign not to get his hopes up too high. Actions had always spoken louder than words to him.

The canopy above him at last spread open to reveal the first sign of the fact he had arrived in Camelot. It was the gate through which he'd ridden so often, going out on quests and returning home again. Now there was nothing left but a pile of fallen stones, which had once formed an impressive arch and a defensive door to shut out unwanted visitors. Arthur swallowed back the first wave of sadness as he ran on.

In mere seconds he sped towards the square and the steps leading up into the castle. What was left of his hope crumbled at the sight awaiting Arthur there. One of the towers had fallen to pieces while the others were left in various states of disrepair. Each curved wall left several wide open spaces behind where hallways used to lead into the once so proud towers. The windows were left without glass, many of the statues had broken to pieces and huge tears formed jagged scars in the brick walls. Nothing had remained of the once majestic beauty of the castle, or so it seemed to him. Arthur felt his heart shatter at the heartbreaking sight of his home…

His urge to see all though prevailed over his emotions once more. Going even faster he sprinted inside, taking the half crumbled stairs two steps at the time, then navigating through dark hallways and onwards to the throne room. Empty!

Arthur froze in the middle of the room. Stunned he noticed that there was not even a sign of the Round Table or the chairs which had stood around it. Not one single soul was here to welcome him back home. In fact the poorer state of the once elegant hall became clearer by the second to him when a cold breeze blew inside through the wide open spaces of the former line of windows. The innocent touch of air crushed the last of his hopeful thoughts…

At last the truth hit him in full force and Arthur could no longer deny its hold over him. In a waterfall of emotions everything he had not wanted to consider for the last few days spilled out of him in a shout of anguish. Lost; everyone he had cared for had turned to ashes. Long ago his Guinevere's blood was shed somewhere deep below his feet and it now fed the forest threatening to overgrow his memories. Yes, Merlin had told him about her death… but it took coming here for him to see the full meaning of time gone by.

Camelot no longer awaited its King for it had fallen long ago. Heck, he too had fallen and yet… by the grace of some unknown force here he was. This was not a dream, not even a nightmare his mind had conjured up. It was the 21st century and his world was gone, never to return again. With tears of raw grief in his eyes Arthur fell to his knees.


	18. HP: Chapter seven

**Chapter seven**

Gwaine was on Arthur's heals. Camelot hadn't always been his home and yet from the first day he saw it he could never forget it. From Merlin's opened bedroom window he had looked down to the lower town. In the morning light the sight had simply been stunning to him. Now nothing remained of it all, which was hardly surprising since the modest homes had been built with wood alone more often than not. It didn't mean the citadel itself had fallen, right?

The realist in Gwaine remembered the warning Merlin had given them the night before, _"Don't get your hopes up for a lot of it has fallen into ruin."_ Surely his friend's words and the spell he'd cast upon the remains meant something still stood, something worth protecting anyway. Was it just the memory of it all, or was there more to it?

So much time had passed. What had come to Camelot to bring it down? Gwaine had a feeling the inability to speak about it he had seen in Merlin was only the tip of the iceberg. How many walls had the man he cared for put up around his emotions? That it was mostly about grief and nursing a broken heart was something Gwaine could accept, because a part of him still felt that way too about Eira. She was just one single loss to him though. How many more goodbyes had Merlin faced through the centuries?

But no, as much as he could understand that he felt there was more to it. Since last evening Gwaine worried that Merlin had become too guarded about certain events, and he doubted if he would ever be allowed in on the secrets Merlin fought hard to keep. It hurt to realise that the insane amount of time had gotten between their friendship. No… he refused to listen to those thoughts. He just would not let it!

Torn between his thoughts and his eager to see Camelot he ran on. Now that he had come so close Gwaine needed to see with his own eyes what was left of the home he had once sworn to protect. Without giving it another thought Gwaine ran on after his King, beyond the remains of the main gate. After weeks of hiking on a trail of their past the centre of it all reached up in front of his eyes… and he stopped dead in his tracks.

At once his attention drew onto the towers looming up into the air. Were those the battle scars left by the Saxons? Gwaine sensed that the tears in the half ruined wall mirrored on the heart of the man who had brought him back here. It made him want to hug Merlin, but the closed off and far too guarded posture of his friend made him hesitate in his need to reach out. Instead he followed the glance of sadness that roved over the remains of their combined past.

The citadel had remained standing for the large part. Though obvious damage scarred the layered bricks Gwaine observed that the basic structure of the castle had not fared too bad under the shield of magic. Walls still stretched on around corners and from one tower to another. Windowless they offered a sad memory of the protection they once had provided. In spite of every warning he had heard so far Gwaine still clung on to a shred of hope. Maybe it wasn't so bad?

Once more he glanced over at Merlin, deciding on whether he should pry his friend for answers to his many questions. Oh, to hell with it… closure was why they had come here, yes? And there could be no closure without questions and answers. Gwaine was about to speak his mind, though he vowed he would go about each one with care, when in a flash he saw Arthur run inside the ruined citadel as if his life depended on it.

"No, Arthur… no." The anguish in Merlin's voice cut straight to Gwaine's heart. Something inside the cry sounded of more than a warning. It was an emotion ripped from beyond invisible walls; a line of defence which hid the caring heart of a man who used to wear it on his sleeve. Before Gwaine could even contemplate it Arthur had disappeared from sight, and Merlin went after him with a ball of magical light floating above the palm of his outstretched hand.

Their actions had Gwaine shake his head with a wry smile. Of course, not even time had the power to change the core of who his friends were. Arthur like always proved more courageous than he had a right to be and Merlin, who used his magic in silence to guide the two of them through the darkness. It would almost be funny, except that Gwaine remembered the pained shout of warning. Where ever the two had gone to they would need him to follow, of this he grew sure in mere seconds. And who knew, maybe closure did indeed await them inside those crumbled walls… no matter how dangerous it was?

Mind made up in a flash Gwaine shrugged the backpack off from his shoulders. He dropped it on the ground with a heavy thud. Inside the large bulge would only form a hindrance. Determined he rushed up the steps and without stopping he ran inside after Merlin to ensure for himself that both of his friends were going to be alright. In his hurry though he left his pocket flashlight in his backpack…

* * *

"NO!"

To Merlin's horror Arthur ran inside the ruined citadel without hearing his shouted warning. Did his friend have a death wish or something? In his mind Merlin shook his head at himself. He should have seen it coming that Arthur would be so bold to the point of sheer stubbornness just to get his answers. Closure… was it come to bite them in the ass mere moments after they'd arrived?

Maybe he should have been more open and told his two eager friends that Camelot was no more than a shadow of the past now? The castle wasn't safe; not anymore. It had crumbled down to a dangerous, weakened state after the almost two millennia it rose off the ground. Any day now another one of the towers could take a tumble, or worse, a floor could collapse in on itself. His spell only protected Camelot from further influence of mankind. Time though could not be kept outside of the magical bubble he'd cast over it. No, he had never found a way to shut it out. The best he'd managed was to slow it down.

At his side Merlin had seen Gwaine frown, as if his friend tried to make sense of what had not been said. Pools of brown conveyed a world of emotions he could not fathom and yet he understood all the same that his silence had an impact on the passionate friend he'd never been able to hide from for too long.

Closure had to wait though, because of the prat they both cared for. At this point all Merlin could wrap his mind around were his worries for Arthur. Already his legs moved into a desperate sprint to get inside while he prayed that the floors would stay strong for as long as they were around. His emotions threatened to push him to tears, but Merlin ignored the worst of his fears. All he needed to do was keep Arthur safe. If he lost him again… Merlin couldn't bear the thought of reliving that pain and so he squashed it behind his walls with a rough call of the name on his mind. "Arthur… where are you?"

After a while he sensed that Gwaine had caught up with him. Merlin felt guilty to pull his friend into this as well, but at the same time he realised that he needed Gwaine to be there for them both should anything go wrong. More so the quiet, solemn presence of his friend grounded him in his determination to get to Arthur. Worries settled into something manageable now, as if Gwaine helped him stave them off just by watching his back. To voice his thanks he nodded to his friend.

"Any time", it were but two words, but they spoke volumes for the emotions Merlin had felt they would always share between them.

Confident now that he was not alone Merlin turned another corner. Up ahead of him he spotted a pinprick of light. What was out there? Curious he took several tentative steps towards it, even though his magical eye sensed that Arthur hadn't come this way. In an abrupt flash of panic he recognized a cold feeling of steel which oozed from up ahead of him. "Go back", his mind screamed at him… but it was too late.

Before his legs could respond to his need to flee he was already engulfed in a bright flash of blue light. Merlin felt an eerie shiver travel over his spine. Was this the dreaded cold Ianto had felt about half a year ago? How could it be that a Zoganian cube found a way through the magical shield which continued to hide Camelot from all sight and time as a whole? In the long stretched out second it took for Merlin to slump down to the damp, flagstone floor he heard Gwaine's panicked shout echo through the crumbled hallways, "Arthur! Over here, help us."

A sense of dark coldness tried to claim him, but Merlin's magic reeled to fight it off for a few more moments. Warm swirls of gold pushed their way from his mind into his shivering body. Somehow his inner struggle kept him aware of concerned voices, vague footsteps of sturdy hiking shoes and gentle hands trying to shake him awake. "Hang on, Merlin. We will get you out of here." Gwaine's attempt at comfort was the last thing he heard before his magic caved in to the foreign power.

* * *

In the fading light of day the Torchwood three were running along the hidden path. The apprehension they felt at first had faded. It was as if the spell had granted them even further entrance since they'd seen passed the illusion. All the same Jack could not help but feel like an intruder in the almost magical forest, not that he let it deter him in any way from doing what he came to do. The druid's continued warning pushing him onwards still held merit, or so he believed. His only doubt left was whether Merlin and his friends had arrived in Camelot before them.

With the key pocketed in his greatcoat, along with the forgotten necklace, Jack no longer felt the pull on his mind, which cleared the thoughts in his head. Since a mile or so ago he didn't need the key to guide him anymore. Now that they had found the path they could follow it with ease, even when the forest around them seemed ancient and grew dense around them.

A glance to the sky showed an orange glow to Jack. Daylight started to fade out behind the branches of the trees. Soon evening would cast the world in shade before dust ended any chances they had of finding Merlin. Time was running out on Jack and it gave him a sense of unease. On top of the next hill he stopped walking altogether and he looked down into the shallow valley. More trees, where was then legendary town then?

Maybe it was unwise to continue their track through the forest, but Jack felt like he didn't have much of a choice. The need to hurry and find Merlin had not left his mind. In fact the urge seemed to grow stronger again, as if a distant voice told him it may already be too late. Was it even his own worry, or did he pick up on the anxious feelings of someone else? On the edge of his awareness Jack sensed that the druid was somehow out here with them, even though he had no clue how the man could be.

"Come on, let's go on. I believe that we are nearly there", Jack encouraged Ianto and Gwen, who both looked at him with obvious scepticism. All he had for them was a shrug. Even though Jack had never been here before he somehow knew with unexpected clarity that there was one more hill to take until they would arrive in Camelot.

Even while pocketed it seemed the key still whispered to him. Part of him wanted to drop the blasted thing right there and then, so his mind would be left in peace, but knowing the important secret it kept he couldn't do it. The key needed to be returned to the Torchwood archives, or maybe even to its rightful owner. Based on the magic it held Jack had come to the conclusion it belonged to Merlin once.

Still followed on his heals by his team mates Jack sped up. The lack of complaints coming from behind him told him enough. Ianto and Gwen were as excited as he was to finally see the town of legends. It was their proof Merlin, Arthur and Gwaine were indeed who they claimed to be and the history of Camelot was more than just a story passed down the generations.

* * *

"Arthur!" The urgent shout cut into Arthur's grief. "Over here, help us." Was there a trace of panic in Gwaine's voice?

Arthur jumped to his feet in answer. Memories blown to dust by worry he wiped his sleeve over his cheeks to get rid of the tear streaks. With one deep breath he steadied his nerves and pushed back what remained of his emotions. The past was gone… and he needed to live in the now. Gwaine had called for a good reason, of this he had no doubt. Getting up from the floor he rearranged his backpack. He tightened the straps and ran off into the hallway, towards the sound of his name. "Arthur!"

His short sprint drew to a halt when he turned the corner. To his shock Arthur saw Merlin lie unconscious on the paved floor. Gwaine sat on his knees by their friend's side, trying to get him to wake up. Arthur felt his heart drop in worry when the only reaction to the calls and gentle slaps was a groaned whimper of pain. The sound sent him running again.

Reaching their side in a flash Arthur was about to ask what happened, but he swallowed it back when the answer already stared him in the face. Just a few feet further into the dark hallway a gleaming cube of cold metal started to light up again. The instant it did Arthur remembered what the people over at Torchwood had told him about the alien artefact some six months ago. He realised that their trouble had not passed. Blue light meant another scan and red light meant it would take off; either way it went nothing good would come from it. To his horror the small light turned blue, so either Gwaine or he would be its next victim. Strange, hadn't the captain said something about how the cube in Cardiff only took one scan?

Without wasting another second Arthur released the clasps of his backpack to take it off. In a practiced move, learned after weeks of hiking, he dropped it on the floor and he opened the main compartment. He loosened up the cord, which tied it closed, and he reached inside for his target. Once his hand connected with the solid grip of Excalibur he wrapped his fingers around it so he could pull it free from between his warm vest, rations and a flask of water.

More out of habit than anything else he had brought his sword along, even though Merlin had protested against the wisdom of it. _"This isn't the era of swords or ancient weapons"_ , his friend had said. Though in his mind Arthur knew it to be truth his fighter's heart was a different matter. In the end he'd refused to leave Excalibur behind unguarded back in Keswick, and so he had packed it when no one looked. If he were honest he still felt rather underdressed without his sword on his belt… but of course he had not admitted to it. Merlin just would not have understood. The man had never carried a weapon in his life! Well, not unless Arthur had ordered him to.

"You brought your sword?!"

Arthur ignored Gwaine's incredulous remark to swing at the cube with all the strength he could muster in his arms. The resulting sound of metal against metal turned into the satisfying smell of circuit boards burning themselves out as Excalibur slashed into it. The eerie blue light faded out of existence when the cube fell to pieces on Arthur's second swing. Relieved that imminent danger was avoided Arthur turned around to find a now awake Merlin sitting on the ground, staring at him in both shock and amusement.

"You never listen, do you?"

Arthur grinned at Merlin's question, the same one he himself asked of his former servant so many times in the past. This time though the tables were turned it seemed, but Arthur didn't care. In truth he was more than glad he opted to ignore his friend's advice and that he had taken Excalibur along for the hike, even though it was tricky to find a secure way to pack it. "Not if I can help it, no." His answer too sounded familiar.

While he sheathed his sword with care inside his backpack again Arthur watched Gwaine help Merlin get up onto his feet. Their friend seemed even clumsier in his manners than normal and he looked quite shaken too, to the point where he wobbled. In a no nonsense manner Gwaine wrapped his arms around the narrow yet muscled frame in support. At last Merlin stood on his feet, but Arthur could see that he was held up for the larger part by two strong arms of friendship and compassion. In recognition of the worries he shared with his former knight Arthur decided to take the lead. "Gwaine, get Merlin out of here. I will take his backpack and meet you two outside." Even as he spoke he hefted his own bag into place again, strapping it firm so that he had his hands free to carry more.

For one moment it seemed like Merlin would protest, but for once no spoken words were forthcoming. The lack of banter stunned Arthur for a moment, until he realised that Merlin tried to gather his energy for something else instead. A few breaths passed before the foreign sounding whisper of "Leoht" got followed up by a magical light bouncing up above Merlin's outstretched palm. "We stick together", Merlin offered in a hoarse voice.

With one nod of acceptance Arthur suggested for Gwaine and Merlin to lead the way outside. Grunting under the heavy load he lifted the discarded backpack up into his arms. For a second he debated the wisdom of it, but then he realised the bag held the poles of their modest tent as well as a first aid kit.

The further they got the dimmer the ball of light got. Whatever spell Merlin was using to keep it going it seemed almost too much for him to maintain. Arthur prayed under his breath that his friend could keep the light burning for long enough to get them out of the dark ruins. Now he had accepted that his home was no more the crumbled ruins around him no longer offered him comfort. Instead he could not wait to leave its ghosts behind


	19. HP: Chapter eight

**Chapter eight**

In the dim light of the moon the hidden town of Camelot loomed up high above Jack. He looked up, shocked by the size of the ruined castle. Much more was left of it than he'd believed possible. Several towers reached up high into the air and a huge, in many parts crumbled, wall stretched on for as far as his eyes could see. Even in the pale light of the moon the sight was quite impressive, considering how old the legendary town was.

"Wow", Ianto whispered behind him and Jack could only agree with the sentiment. "We have actually found Camelot."

The excitement in his voice made Jack smile. "Told you we would, didn't I?" He couldn't resist bragging a little and was rewarded by two far too knowing looks of disbelief. Each one of them knew magic rather than knowledge had led them here.

With reluctance Jack tore his eyes away from the impressive ruins. "Let's split up and search for Merlin." He was about to tell his team to be careful when Ianto handed him a flashlight from the small bag he brought with him and then one to Gwen as well. With a grin to them both Jack accepted it. He hadn't seen Ianto pack them, but he was glad that once more the younger man had anticipated their needs before he had.

Jack switched on his flashlight with a smile. Glad to have gained a bit more vision so that he could see where he walked he headed towards the castle wall to circle around it. Looking back over his shoulder he noticed that his friends went off together in the other direction. Their beams of light bounced in the dark along with their footsteps. Between them they stood a chance of finding Merlin, for as long as the immortal man remained outside of the ruins. Jack hoped that his team wouldn't have to search inside, because he had a feeling that it was a far from safe thing to do.

* * *

Several yards away, between the trees, Merlin and his two friends sat at their camp fire. For once a modern day match had set it to flames rather than a magical spell. "Save your strength to heal yourself", Gwaine insisted and Merlin realised that he had no choice but to agree with him.

The alien scan started to take a serious toll on his body, in spite of his earlier belief that he could fight it off. More and more he felt exhausted. It was reaching the point where he could barely keep his eyes open, but Merlin was afraid to close them. Would his magic keep on fighting the alien virus if he was out of it? He didn't want to take the risk and so he fought his tiredness.

To keep himself awake Merlin tried to recall the information Torchwood had given him about the alien cubes. A Zoganian scan did not kill a person. Instead it put some virus inside of them to change their blood cells into something else. Half a year ago when Merlin healed Ianto he sensed the presence of foreign intruders. To him they felt unyielding and cold, as if they were made of metal. To the advanced computers at the Hub however they were untraceable. Tiny little killers; that's what they were in his eyes. Who created something evil like this… and why? Wasn't it easier to kill a person where they stood rather then to make them sick first? Merlin didn't understand any of their reasons for creating something so vile.

Jack told him that the Zoganians were planning to conquer the Earth. It was the first time humanity was forced to deal with their kind and they weren't given the chance to meet on good terms. According to Jack some aliens were plain evil for no other reason than the single minded idea that they were superior. The planets between the stars harboured many people, of many different races. On his travels Jack had seen many things. Sometimes it was amazing and sometimes it wasn't. In a way the universe was much like Earth itself, aside from the fact that it was a far larger battlefield. Love and war were everywhere. It didn't even matter what century it was.

The thought made more sense to Merlin than he cared to admit for. Having lived for so many centuries he knew, despite of the changes the world went through, there was no good without bad. The battle between the two somehow kept the world in a delicate balance. Strange enough, after everything he'd seen and lived through, Merlin was back to believing that good could prevail. Arthur and Gwaine's return had rekindled his hope.

Shivering from a fresh rush of cold sensations Merlin lost his train of thought. On instinct he leaned further into Gwaine. The knight smiled, but Merlin could see the gesture of fondness didn't quite reach his eyes. In the light of the fire he saw worried lines edge into Gwaine's face as well. They both kept silent though, because neither one of them was willing to admit to their fears. In search for more comfort and warmth Merlin snuggled even closer to his friend.

Gwaine grinned behind Merlin when Arthur merely rolled his eyes. Arthur then rose onto his feet before he grabbed his backpack. In a few brisk moves he'd opened it to pull out his light weight sleeping bag. Merlin knew taking action was his friend's way of hiding his emotions. Normally an insult would follow suit, but for once no one spoke while Arthur unrolled the sleeping bag and then unzipped it. Not before long Merlin felt how his friend pulled it over him, while his eyes closed against his better judgement, and how he got tucked in further against Gwaine's solid body. Finally… warmth!

* * *

For a second time Jack stumbled over a stone, hidden beneath the long grass. As a result his flashlight dropped to the ground and to his annoyance it rolled away. With a curse under his breath he felt around for a while, only when he grabbed the torch to find out that it had died on him. Sometimes a good hard tap against the back of it did the trick, but this time it didn't. The light failed to switch on again. Frustrated by his foolishness Jack looked up to the pale moon, wishing it was a bright sun instead. Maybe it was time to call it a day after all. In the darkness this ruined building in the forest clearing was a far too dangerous place to walk around anyway.

Jack was about to call his teammates to order them to fall back when an orange glow beneath a white, greyish puff of smoke just on the edge of the tree line caught his attention. It very much looked as if someone had built a fire there. Knowing for a fact that no one else but a selective few could enter the secret town Jack smiled in relief. "Found them", he announced to his teammates over his bluetooth.

With anticipation Jack waited for Gwen and Ianto to rejoin him. Then without any further delay he walked off, heading towards the fire in long strides. He trusted that this team would follow him there. In the back of his mind the ever present warning for danger made him wonder if the three time travellers were still alright. There was just one way to make sure, and so Jack walked on, only to falter at the sight awaiting him at the camp.

Arthur jumped to his feet, but neither Gwaine nor Merlin moved from their embrace beside the fire. A sleeping bag hid most of their bodies, but Jack could make out Merlin's way too pale face in the light of the fire. "Hold it, right there", Arthur's commanding voice broke no arguments.

Jack held out both his arms and smiled to show that he meant no harm. "Sorry to startle you. Arthur, it is us, Torchwood", he offered before he continued, "We came to warn you danger awaits you out here, but I fear that we have left it too late."

"Arthur, it's alright. Let them join us." Merlin sounded weak, by far too weak.

Worried about what could be wrong with him Jack knelt down before Merlin. "What happened?"

He had half expected it when Arthur answered for his friend instead. "One of those cubes scanned Merlin. It was right here in Camelot, but I damaged the thing so it could not fly off again." The words fell like heavy bricks among them all. For a moment Jack wondered how Arthur had stopped the cube, but he decided that there were more important things to consider first.

"How…" Merlin started to ask, but it seemed he'd used up all his energy. Jack watched as he leaned back against Gwaine once more. The stormy blue eyes closed at an alarming speed. Jack knew that it was only a matter of minutes before Merlin would fade into a shadow of what he was. He remembered it all too well when the same thing happened to Ianto. He just couldn't let Merlin fall victim to this. Somehow he needed to give him the energy to fight it, but how?

An idea popped in his mind then. What if he gave Merlin some of his own energy? It worked once before with a young girl, who got possessed by an alien being made purely out of a pink gas. The poor thing left a trace of dead men in her wake, right up until the moment they cornered her. By then Carys was severely exhausted at the hands of the gaseous alien inside of her and by what it put her body through. Some of Jack's endless amount of life energy was easily transferred to her and it bought them some time to deal with the alien. In the end his gift was what saved her life. Would Merlin accept his help too? Would it even work on him? There was only one way to find out…

* * *

Merlin had never felt so lost before. The cold metal was taking over and he felt himself slip away into something by far too alien. His magic raged in anger, but it couldn't stop the virus from spreading out into his veins. He felt the comfort of Gwaine's body against his back, grounding him even though his awareness faded. Voices spoke as if they came from the distance. Jack and Arthur; they argued before Gwaine interrupted them. "It's worth a try."

Something touched his lips, a moist and warm sensation. It felt as if someone started kissing him within an inch of his life. Merlin wasn't sure whether he should object, or not. The powerful kiss actually felt pretty good and a moan of pleasure escaped his mouth, even though he wasn't aware of the sound of it. His lips tingled and it was as if a burst of energy rushed into his body at the same time. How could that be? Confused Merlin could only accept the offered lifeline.

A stranger's voice came to him. _"Emrys"_ , his name sounded like a whisper of hope. It seemed to come from far away and yet somehow it was so close. _"Embrace it. Let him help you fight the sickness."_ The voice faded out as fast as it had rushed in. Who had spoken? The welsh lilt reminded him of someone, but he couldn't quite grasp who it belonged to. For a moment he wondered if he should listen to the mysterious man.

"Come on", another voice urged him to fight. "Wake up, Merlin. We can't lose you now. Not after everything we went through to be here together." Arthur sounded almost as desperate as Merlin felt. Struggling he tried to answer his friend, but it was too much. The lips had left him, causing his energy to deflate once more. What was going on?

A new burst of energy rushed inside with a second kiss. Whoever kissed him must have needed some air. The thought made Merlin smile. It was almost a shame he wasn't awake enough to enjoy it to full, and maybe take his advantage of the gesture. Even as he leaned further into the sweet sensation of warm pleasure he wondered who dared to be so bold. Men did not kiss men so openly, or did they? The only woman around was Gwen, but she was married to Rhys. Unable to come up with an answer Merlin decided to cling on to the kiss regardless.

By the third deep kiss it seemed his magic was at last ready to embrace the generous offer of energy and the slight trace of healing magic, which began to spread out. Warmth rushed further into his veins, chasing after the cold. It was almost as if the two opposite forces were sword fighters, one parrying against the other. Merlin knew that the virus had to lose or he would change into whatever the cube intended for him to become. Swallowing against the fear in his mind he urged his magic on.

Yes! The tiny metal killers finally receded until they admitted defeat altogether. Merlin grabbed onto whoever kissed him, taking all the energy he needed to end his struggles forgood. A naughty grin and half moan of pleasure escaped the other man's lips.

 _"Jack?"_ He asked the question in his mind's voice.

Merlin startled to hear the American accented voice answer him in the same way, but with a hint of amusement. _"The one and only."_

Opening his eyes Merlin ended the kiss, "Thank you."


	20. HP: Chapter nine

**Chapter nine**

"A kiss? You want to help Merlin by kissing him?" The suggestion sounded ridiculous to Arthur… and yet, in spite of his misgivings, he had to know more. "Why?"

"Long story short, I am immortal ever since someone brought me back to life when I died for a first time. They did it so well that I have been unable to die and stay dead ever since. The crazy amount of energy they gave me when they did is still a part of me. There is so much to go around that I can share it with Merlin and walk off having plenty left. With a bit of luck he can use my energy and his gift of magic to heal himself…"

"Do you think he can actually do that?" The unsure question Ianto asked was on Arthur's mind as well. He'd never seen Merlin heal himself, but then again he'd only known his friend had magic for less than a year. It was a mystery to him how magic worked, and how Merlin had been able to live for so long. There was no way the people of Torchwood knew either. They had not even known magic existed until they met Merlin for the first time in Glastonbury. In this moment of despair they were all grasping at straws.

Jack smiled, "It worked with Carys, and maybe it can work again."

The maybes did nothing to ease Arthur's doubts. Looking back and forth between Jack and Gwaine he voiced his worries, "But what if your energy is too much and it harms him instead? I can not lose him after everything that he's been through in life."

In a blur of movement Jack was in his face. If Arthur wasn't used to commanding others he would have felt the need to bow down to the man's intense look of determination. Instead he matched the glare with one of his own while he waited for Jack to speak his mind with the same fierceness. "Life is about risks. I may not know what will happen, but we are out of our depths here anyway. Every bit of technology we have… it is useless. Your friend here is the only chance we have with these cubes. His magic is needed to survive an invasion… and believe me, the Zoganians are coming. Torchwood will do what is required, and I can not afford to let you stop me. I will fight you if I must to…"

Narrowing his eyes at Jack's bad choice of words Arthur bristled. Merlin was far more than just his magic. How _dare_ the man even suggest that he was some sort of weapon in all of this? "Not another word! There is no way you will risk his life on my watch. I…"

"Please, you two… just stop it." Gwaine's upset voice cut into his angered reply. Arthur looked beyond the captain to see his friend still hold Merlin close to him next to the fire. Soft whimpers escaped the warlock's lips as if he had a nightmare.

"Arthur, we have nothing else. I know it is a long shot at best, but right now Merlin is too exhausted to fight. Jack's energy may be enough for him to wake up and tell us what to do. If not…" It was visible to all that Gwaine did not even want to go there. He swallowed passed the rest of the sentence before he added, "At least we tried, yeah? I won't let him go without a fight either… I can't. Jack is right about one thing. Life _is_ about risk. Merlin would agree with me, and you know it."

Arthur's anger deflated at the last few words. What Gwaine suggested not only sounded like truth, but it was indeed how Merlin would go about saving either one of them. How often had their friend risked life and limb to save them unseen? It was only since this era that they realised how much more there had been to the moments where Merlin blind sighted them in the past by using magic unseen. "I know", Arthur admitted before he turned to Jack. "Alright, give it a try, but beware… we won't let you harm him."

Eyes narrowed at his warning, but Jack did not speak against it. Arthur saw in the nod which followed that the Captain understood the united front he formed with Gwaine on the matter. No, Torchwood had no authority over Camelot where past vows lingered and loyalty still ran deep. And when Jack moved away to kiss Merlin firm on the lips Arthur watched him like he had never watched anyone kiss.

No one spoke a word in the long, tense seconds passing by. When a soft moan escaped Merlin's lips Gwaine, who had held onto Merlin and watched just as intently, grinned. "Looks like someone is enjoying himself."

Arthur rolled his eyes at the pleased smirk on Jack's face as he pulled away. Was this it? There seemed to be no reaction from Merlin, aside from another violent shiver. Arthur was about to break the tension when Jack went in for another kiss. Stunned he saw how this time around Merlin's features seemed to relax. For a short moment his eyes even fluttered open, showing the brightest gold irises Arthur had ever seen, before they closed again. Slow but sure enough the pale cheeks filled with colour and after a deep breath Merlin stopped shivering. Hope filled his heart; maybe the energy transfer was working after all! Arthur couldn't believe it when Merlin raised one of his arms to pull Jack closer to him for a third meeting of lips, so that he could kiss him back. What was he doing?

The tense silence was broken by Merlin's voice. "Thank you." It was with a shock of relief Arthur saw him open wide eyes of stunned amazement in their normal dark blue colour.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted out his friend's name in joy. Unable to hide his emotions now that the risk had paid off he hurried to kneel down on the ground to pull Merlin into a one armed hug. He could not care less when his action half pushed Jack out of the way. All he could think of was Merlin, and feeling his warm again body breathing next to his.

"I didn't know you cared." The deep rumble against his shoulder was filled with mirth.

Arthur recognized Merlin's teasing from a mile off by now and so he gently parted to nudge a bony shoulder with a fist. "Don't be silly. It is just hard to find another warlock who can take us home within the blink of an eye." Their banter, as always, eased the last of the tension away.

From behind Merlin a hand clasped Arthur by the wrist. His eyes caught onto the look of unspoken emotions of raw relief Gwaine did not conceal. Gwaine wanted Arthur to know that he understood it had been hard for him to take such a leap of faith… and at the same time he let him know he too had had his doubts. What came out in the end though were the words everyone could agree on. "Merlin, it's good to have you back."

In spite of the lingering questions the six of them were too exhausted to ask or answer any of them. It had been quite the eventful day. All Arthur managed was a "thank you" for Jack, which received a cheeky wink followed by a nod for an answer. They had set their limits and shown each other how far they would go. Arthur decided that he liked the Captain, respected his tenacity and his stubbornness to back down from what he set out to do. If anything they at least had that in common.

In the dark of night they settled down around the fire. After the day they had Arthur had no qualms anymore about sharing an opened sleeping bag with his friends while Ianto and Gwen took the other two they had brought on their hike. He noticed Jack huddling deeper into his woollen greatcoat like a lone shadow before he drifted off on the thought that he owed the man a favour one day.

* * *

By the time Merlin woke the sun was rising over Camelot. Looking up he noticed that he wasn't the only one awake. In the light of dawn Jack stared out towards the ruins with an awed look he for once did not disguise. Merlin yawned before he decided to get up as well. Maybe he could figure out a bit more about the only other immortal man on Earth while the others still slept. In silence he got up on his feet and walked over to Jack.

When Jack greeted him with a smile Merlin noted how the other man had been more alert than he'd let on. Storing the fact for later use he suggested that they walk over to the town remains. "So… how did you find the path here?" Merlin finally asked the question, which had been on his mind from the moment the Torchwood team turned up.

"With magic", the boyish grin was followed by, "No really. How long do you have?"

Merlin shrugged. "You and me? Well… I suppose we have forever."

He was rewarded with an understanding flash in blue eyes. For a moment Merlin thought nothing more was forthcoming, but then Jack put his hand in the pocket of his coat and he revealed what he'd stashed inside. A bronze key rested on the palm of his hands. Even from where he stood Merlin recognized it. It was the same one he'd carried with him for many years. "The key to the royal chambers. How did you get it?"

"Ianto found it in our archives, in a box dating back to 1914."

Merlin winced at how fate had intervened. Oh well, at least he now knew where it had ended up and that it had been kept safe for all those years by some twist of luck. Unable to look away from the key, and all the memories it held, Merlin realised there was another item resting in Jack's hand. Dangling from a black leather cord was a silver triskelion. No wonder there was a trace of magic lingering around the Captain! What was he doing with a druid necklace? "Where did you get this pendant, who gave it to you?"

Startled Jack looked at the palm of his hand. "I… I don't know." Merlin had a feeling the captain didn't see the necklace until he pointed out it was even there. In fact the unease the object caused was plain to read on Jack's face. Without hesitation and an unexpected brisk move he offered both to Merlin. "To be honest, I'd be glad to get rid of them both."

Happy to have the key back Merlin grabbed the two innocent looking items from Jack, trying not to come across as too eager. He whispered a spell to put the magic inside back to sleep and tucked both in a pocket of his hiking trousers. "Tell me everything", he then asked while he sat down on the wall by the side of the stairs which led up into the castle.

Jack sat down by his side and he began to explain how he met a mysterious, cloaked man in the Brecon Beacons, and then again in a Cardiff apartment. It surprised Merlin that Jack knew about telepathy and how he even had a talent for it, so much so in fact that he had picked up on the manner in which druids communicated. A part of him began to see how the wheels of fate and magic had worked together to get to this point. When Jack came to the part where Ianto found the old key Merlin winced for a second time.

"So it is yours", Jack stated the obvious.

"Well, Arthur's really… but yeah, I have kept it safe for many centuries. It should have been useless to you lot though. Unless…" Merlin trailed off to take the silver triskelion out of his pocket again. The moment he dangled it from between his fingers to study it he sensed that the strong druid's presence had lingered. The ancient, almost natural feel of magic reminded him of the decades he had walked among them.

The druids had taught him a lot in life. Over the centuries though their ways got lost, because most of their kind had been killed for their pagan beliefs and out of fear for their magic. Today only a small number of their direct descendants had some sort of gift left and Merlin wondered to which one of them the necklace belonged. Could it be the latest chieftain of the tribe he had always held in the highest regard? The unique power the pendant held seemed to suggest it true.

"Unless what?" Jack interrupted his thoughts, unaware he did so.

"Your visitor has a powerful gift and he knew how to use it. From the moment you picked up his necklace he could follow you with his mind. Maybe not all the time, but some of the time. He hid himself by making you believe that it was worthless and yet you put the necklace in your pocket, because you couldn't throw it away. Then one day you picked up Arthur's key and in that moment his clever enchantment on the triskelion awoke the spell I unknowingly put upon it when I hid all of Camelot with my magic. Combined with your taught gift of telepathy it was enough for you to be able to find the way here."

For a moment they sat in silence, staring off into the forest around them. "So how do you think the cube got in here?"

Unsure of how to answer Jack's question Merlin shrugged. "I wish I knew the answer. The druids knew it was coming though, didn't they? You said they warned you something was about to happen to me. So our answers may lie within their prophecies."

Jack nodded, "I was hoping you could help me find the owner of the pendant. I need to meet the man who was in my mind and ensure that he gets out of it."

With a nod to confirm that he would help Merlin got up on his feet in an effort to avoid more questions. But even as he headed back to the camp site to awaken the others Jack wondered, "You never said… how come the key ended up in our archives when it did?"

Merlin met the other man's eyes with a deliberate glare to show him that he knew he was being evasive. Without saying another word he continued walking and he left it up to Jack whether he wanted to follow or not.

* * *

A few moments later the six had wrapped up their camp. The fire got extinguished with a healthy dose of sand and the sleeping bags were tucked back in the backpacks. The three walkers lifted and fastened their heavy load onto their backs again and then they walked towards the ruins. Ianto was the first to take Gwaine up on his offer to show him around Camelot and the others followed suit, with Arthur and Merlin trailing behind.

In the daylight the fallen town looked even more impressive to Ianto than it did the night before. To be able to walk here still felt surreal to him. Even better, and stranger, was that a former knight who had lived in Camelot showed them around. Gwaine proved to be a good story teller. "Just a few yards from here was the tavern; the Rising Sun it was called. We had some good times there. Man, the stories I can tell you."

Behind him Ianto heard Merlin snort after Arthur muttered. "Shame about the day after though…"

"Through the large gap in the wall over there were the stables. They were filled with the best trained horses", Gwaine pointed at the large opening with a sad gleam of memory in his eyes. "All of us knights used to gather here on the cobblestoned square before we rode off on a quest. Oh, and those two would follow of course."

Gwaine's eyes turned back to mirth while he smiled to Merlin and Arthur, who were still walking a few yards behind them. "Merlin was bound to be the last one to arrive and a string of orders would follow him on his way out of the castle."

Ianto grinned when Merlin stared at Gwaine with a mock undignified look. "You try and be on time when the royal prat over here wants you to finish a list of chores as long as your arm before you go." While Arthur tried to play innocent they all laughed.

"Prat?" Ianto mouthed at Gwaine, who nodded in all seriousness before he winked. Just when Ianto wanted to ask more a few sharp beeps came from Jack's side. Narrowing his eyes Ianto couldn't shake a feeling of unease when the captain opened the flap of his wristband and tapped away at the small buttons on the vortex manipulator. "That almost never beeps. What's going on?"

As if to answer him two more beeps could be heard, to which Jack's entire manner changed. Back was the firm captain and time traveller who had seen too much. Ianto followed his look upwards to the sky; where to his shock sharp bursts of lights flew up into the air at an alarming speed. "What are those?"

* * *

Gwaine was the last one to look up and by then Jack answered Ianto. "Cubes…" Dread filled his heart in a rush. In his time he'd seen monsters of many kinds, but these metal cubes were far more evil. So far he didn't mind being in the 21st century too much for there were so many luxuries to be found; ranging from hot showers to pizza deliveries and fridges filled with cold beer. Now though he began to see that there were downsides to this era of science as well. Under the threat from the skies he felt powerless and even more so knowing that his trusted sword got lost many centuries ago.

"We need to get back to the Hub, so we can make sure that they are cubes, and if so we must trace them with our computers." Jack said with a serious look

When Arthur nodded Gwaine knew that their decision was made as a group. Like one they turned their backs on Camelot to walk back to civilisation. Before reaching the tree line though Gwaine couldn't resist one final look. He stopped walking and saw Merlin and Arthur do the same. "Ready to leave?" Merlin asked in a hushed tone of voice.

"No", Gwaine found he didn't want to leave, but he knew there was no other choice.

At his side Arthur nodded, "I am. Camelot is our past. I will always remember it for what it was, but our journey goes on."

"Not our hike though." It was only when he said it that Gwaine realised that more than the ruins of their past he missed the easy friendship and the life of no stress while they camped and hiked through the valleys. More than anything he would miss the talks around the campfires and the banter as they made their way across the countryside.

"We can always pick it up again afterwards." Arthur clapped his back while Merlin nodded his approval of the sentiment. Glad to find the three of them were in agreement Gwaine started to walk again. Soon his two companions flanked his side as they made their way back down the for most still hidden path.

After a couple hundred yards Merlin nodded to Jack before he slowed down their pace so they could speak in private. "There is something I need to tell you both…" Merlin started his explanation of how Torchwood managed to uncover the path to Camelot and what happened before they could do so. He further told them of the druid visitor Jack met in the middle of nowhere and how he held some answers Merlin needed to find for him. By the end of it he held out a triskelion pendant. "This necklace will take me there. Jack has the right to answers as well, so I best take him with me. Even though I hate leaving you behind the two of us must do this together."

Gwaine tried to wrap his mind around it all. The story was strange, but then again where ever they were strange always seemed to follow them, even into this century. Sharing a look with Arthur he saw the same confusion and it made him smile in sympathy. All the same he heard Arthur say, "Do what you have to. Gwaine and I will wait for you here."

Unsure what to make of it Gwaine looked at his former King. Arthur had made his choice, if his firm nod was anything to go by. It seemed that his friend trusted Merlin almost as blind as he had always done. Was it just him then who had the sad feeling that history repeated itself in this moment where Merlin was about to head off by himself out of the old habit of hiding secrets? Unwilling to doubt his word on that Jack drove his decision Gwaine at last nodded his reluctant consent to Merlin. One day he would have to push a way behind the walls his friend had put up, but that time was not when relative strangers were too close by for comfort. No, this confrontation would have to wait for a bit longer…

"Thanks… but maybe it's easier if you drive back to Cardiff with Ianto and Gwen? They have a car waiting at the end of the path. When I drop Jack off at their headquarters I can pick you guys back up and take us home."

While Arthur narrowed his eyes to think it through Gwaine looked at Merlin. Tiredness still lingered on his friend's features… and when he looked closer he could even see a flash of the young, far more vulnerable man he had first met a long time ago. It was him whom Gwaine wanted to pull close and keep safe. So rather than object he offered his worries. "Are you sure? Do you even have the energy left to cast such a powerful spell?"

Merlin waved his worries to the side with one of his lopsided smiles. "There is no other way, Gwaine. But thanks for asking. I… I will be alright, I promise."

Without too many more words Arthur accepted Merlin had to do this without them. Only a small frown told Gwaine of how their friend had not missed the emotions between the lines after all. "You'd better", the former King settled their private conversation. The sternness of his voice could not hide the fact Arthur too had not forgotten last night.

Choice made for better or worse they picked up the pace to catch up with the Torchwood team. Half an hour later they reached the end of the path, where a black jeep stood parked by the side of the road. Gwaine stopped walking to help Merlin shrug off his backpack. "Be safe, my friend. We will see you back in Cardiff." Further words escaped Gwaine, but the manner in which Merlin clung to him spoke volumes of their friendship. More than affirmation of life it was an apology for every emotion Merlin knew not how to admit to after so long alone… and so at last Gwaine set him free. "Be home before ten."

The reward of Merlin's snort was all he needed to know that they were alright. Gwaine watched on as his friend clasped wrists with Arthur to say goodbye. To his surprise Arthur reacted to the gesture of goodbye by pulling Merlin into a short, but firm hug. The blinding smile Merlin sent his way eased the last of his doubts. Yeah, the three of them were alright in spite of what wasn't said. For Arthur to show that he cared in front of others meant that they all were adapting to the new dynamic between them. Maybe that was what all of his earlier doubts were about; his own insecurities and nightmares.

Seriousness returned when Merlin took a triskelion pendant out of his pocket and he walked over to the captain. "Grab my hand." The moment Jack followed Merlin's order the two men faded into nothingness… pulling Gwaine from his musings and with his feet back onto the road of the matter at hand.


	21. HP: Chapter ten

**Chapter ten**

The autumn sun shone above the hexagonal towers of Raglan Castle, casting the brown red stone it was made of in a beautiful glow. A Welsh flag was raised into the sky and it flapped proudly in the breeze, showing off the red dragon in all its glory. Aside from the two men laying out their specialist tools to continue the restoration works the place was shrouded in silence.

The engine of a car disturbed the peace for a moment. It drove onto the lane leading to the castle before it parked on the grass just outside the entrance building. Gary Roberts stepped out of his grey car with a smile. While throwing his leather bag over his shoulder he closed the doors. It was a good day to work outside in the open air. As an inspector of the CADW, the historic environment service of the Welsh Government, it wasn't his first visit here and it wouldn't be his last one either. It was his job to oversee the restoration works, which were to last several more years.

A good part of the late medieval castle still stood proud, but parts of it were ruined for eternity. There was no way the men and women of the CADW could get everything back which was lost, but whatever remained standing they would protect for as long as they owned it. With the money of tourists, who visited the many buildings they owned all across Wales, they could afford restoration works and make sure their castles were even safe enough for a visit. For many years now Gary had worked for the organisation and he believed in preserving the past for generations to come. History was more than stuffy books in a library. Here at Raglan Castle history was very much alive.

Making his way through the modest shop, which also served as the entrance to the castle grounds, Gary passed the young woman who manned it for the day. Her colleague was no doubt making them both a coffee. He greeted her with a smile and walked onwards through the huge gate which led into the roofless castle. Moments later he stood in the middle of the large pitch stoned court. The partly restored windows there were still a beautiful sight to him. To think they were no more than large gaps in the walls once. It was stunning what could be achieved by stone masons of these times.

Gary was about to turn to head for the Great Tower when an eerie cold feeling travelled across his spine. It was as if… his thoughts trailed off to the sight of sharp bursts of light in the air. What were those? A strange breeze touched his face, making him blink in wonder before all of a sudden a few yards away from where he stood two men stepped onto the court from out of nowhere. Startled Gary blinked at the new arrivals…

* * *

Opening his eyes Merlin stepped back in shock when he recognized the grey haired man standing in front of him. It felt too strange to him the druid he had called his friend and whom he buried a long time ago was back here today. Why had he appeared? Merlin looked to his side to find Jack had noticed the figure dressed in far too modern clothes too. So not a spirit then. In his eager to know what was going on he called out to the man in his mind's voice, _"Iseldir?"_

A wry smile was send his way, "Emrys… I am honoured to meet you. I may look a lot like my ancestor, but I am afraid that I am not him. My name is in fact Gary Roberts."

In the corner of his eyes Merlin saw Jack narrow his eyes and cross his arms as if he felt by far more uneasy than he was willing to admit to. The captain was about to speak up too, but Merlin stopped him with a small shake of his head. "You know why we are here. Is there some place where we can talk in private?"

With a silent nod and a gesture of his left arm Gary told them to follow him. They were led through part of the ruins and after walking up a set of stairs they ended up on a higher lying field of grass. The Great Tower rose up on the left of it, but Gary didn't walk on. He stopped at the side of the field where a wooden bench was placed. "No one will disturb us for a while here. It's still a bit early for the tourists and the workers will stay on the other side of the castle today."

"How can you be sure?" Merlin heard Jack ask in a sceptic tone of voice.

The answering calm smile reminded Merlin once more of the druid chieftain he used to know. So often in the past Iseldir had looked at him in the same way when he answered his questions with patience, but also a touch of amusement at his youthfulness. Even while Gary was many centuries younger than both Jack and he were there was a knowledge to him which was far more ancient. No doubt that was due to the huge amount of prophecies, magic and spells passed down the many generations of druids. The answer however was far more modern and straightforward than Merlin expected it to be. "Because I work here."

Merlin sat down on the bench. As an invitation to Gary to join him Merlin opened up the hand in which he held the triskelion necklace. "This is yours I believe."

Gary sat down on his right side to accept the pendant with a smile once Merlin handed it over to him. "Thank you, Emrys." In a few moves he hung the necklace around his neck and closed the lock to leave the pendant tucked safe under his buttoned up shirt.

Looking up at the sound of a polite cough Merlin found Jack staring at them both. The captain's eyes shone with many questions and his body still seemed tense, even though he tried not to let on the last day was catching up on him.

It seemed Gary picked up on his unease as well. "The mind link is broken, Captain. You have my word. When you leave here I won't be able to follow you." It did not surprise Merlin when Jack narrowed his eyes at that, because the captain had no clue on the true nature of druids. Add to that the fact he had a harsh mind set at best Merlin realised Jack needed more than just a promise. Trust was violated from the start… and to fix that…

Before either one of them could speak Gary continued. "Our prophecies foretold me that this day would come. I wish there was an easier way to say this, but there isn't. Albion's hour of need is drawing close and we all have to play our parts. I am sorry for invading and staying in your mind the way I did, Captain. It was the only way I knew of how to find you and then to help you reach Emrys in time."

When Jack scoffed Merlin saw the druid smile wryly. "I can explain everything. Will you listen to my story, the both of you?"

Eager to finally get the information he wanted Merlin nodded. Jack still seemed unsure whether to trust in it all, but even so he visibly reined in his frustrations and sat down on Merlin's other side.

* * *

"It is said among my tribe that when the time is right for a new chieftain to arise he will be visited first by the spirit of one of his predecessors. I never thought much of it until my sixteenth birthday came. My father wasn't even forty yet, so what was the point? We were all his tribe and he would live on forever in my eyes. I had never seen death before then, and father… well, to me he was immortal. That evening though I was visited by a ghost for the first time in my life. I was startled and angry at what it meant, but it was my destiny and it could not be fought."

Gary swallowed down the memory of the police officer who came to his door to inform him about the road accident which his parents had not survived, "My parents died a week later." A short pause fell at his words. More than anything he knew at least one of the men by his side would understand the pain of seeing too much. But in Jack too he saw a sharp flash of pain smashed back down again. Was it true what he had sensed while he shared the link with the other man? Was he far older than he looked, just like the prophecies suggested? The man at best was an enigma to him, just like Emrys… but then in his own right.

Setting aside his questions for the moment Gary opted on giving answers first. He turned to Merlin then. "For a moment there you thought I was Iseldir, and I can see why. It was he who came to me on that evening and now that I am getting closer to the age he was when he died I can see the resemblance between us." Gary smiled at the unasked question in the warlock's ancient eyes. "All he told me back then was that the time had come and I needed to read the prophecies, or one day everything would be lost."

To his amusement Merlin interrupted him, "Iseldir had a way with cryptic words, but for as long as I have known him he always knows what he's talking about… even now that he is no more than a spirit."

Gary grinned at that. Yeah, to the both of them Iseldir in some form or another would always stay alive. "He was right back then too, even though it took me some time to see it. My magic was an uneasy gift at first and for a while I thought I was losing my mind. Just before it got to be too much though I found my father's notes and I learned where I could find answers. Do you know where Iseldir's grave is, Emrys?" For a moment Gary waited for the answer. He saw sadness pass in Merlin's eyes before he nodded. The deep grief made him wonder if Merlin had been there when Iseldir crossed into the world beyond. But while the ancient friendship intrigued him he stayed silent about it.

"The captain was there three weeks ago." Looking at Jack he saw nothing but confusion in the blue eyes staring back at him. "The cairn near the top of the Pen-y-Fan is where my ancestor is buried. His spirit is still there if you believe in the ways of my people. I used it to visit you the first time."

"You could have just come by in Cardiff." Jack blurted out.

Gary had a feeling it was only the first of his frustrations and more were to come, so he continued before Jack could ask any of them. "I came to the cairn myself one bleak winter for answers. It was cold and miserable there, but for some reason I felt the urge to come. The gift I've inherited is the same one of Iseldir. His spirit told me what it meant to belong to our clan and to be a leader among druids. Coming down the hill with answers was the beginning of my journey to where I am now. Once I read the prophecies of old I learned my destiny was far from over. I vowed to be ready for it all, but when the time came I still was surprised."

Gary took a deep breath in the knowledge that he had to come out with the full truth now. "Captain, the apparition you saw in your mind was my message from a far. I was never there in person. I was actually up in London for work." The two pairs of eyes watching him with intent both filled with surprise. "I could only speak to your mind there, because of Iseldir's spirit. The distance was almost too great for my abilities, so I had to keep it short and simple."

"Simple?!"

Gary could only laugh at the honest reaction. "I may have inherited a little of my ancestor's cryptic nature."

For a moment silence fell. "But you were there in person for the second visit", Jack remarked with a frown on his face.

Gary could only nod his answer. There was no other way to admit to how he had used his magic to break in and that for once in his life he did not even feel guilty about doing something illegal. "I had to come by in person, because you'd lost your memory. I fear that your gift of telepathy wasn't as strong as we needed it to be. When I healed you I enchanted the triskelion to keep our minds linked. It was what needed to be done even when it made me feel ill at ease. I couldn't risk wasting more time explaining myself when all my visions told me Emrys' life was already on the line. Believe me, the link drained me as much as it did you, if not even more so."

"Yet here you are, going about your day job as if nothing is wrong." There was a trace of accusation in Jack's voice.

Gary could understand it, but all the same it hurt. "What I am, is strange to this world, captain. My gift and all the disbelief to surround it is not an easy one to bear. The only way I can be accepted is to appear normal, even while I know I am different."

Jack rose to his feet, but his sharp eyes kept a hold of Gary's. "A close friend of Merlin told me once that there are but a few people in this world to understand magic and they are the ones who have the gift of magic, so I will leave you two to talk. I accept your reasons for doing what you did, even though I do not understand your ways. The important thing is that Merlin here is alive. Thank you for being honest with me. Merlin, come and find me when you are ready." With a brisk turn the captain walked off.

Gary couldn't help but smile to himself. The prophecies had described Jack as a leader among men; one who could push himself and others almost a step too far in order to do the right thing by humanity. In this moment it was why he had not asked for an apology, because if the tables had been turned then Jack would have done the same thing to Gary…

* * *

Walking off Jack still wasn't sure about what to think of magic. He knew now it existed, there was no way to ignore it any longer. All the same it confused the hell out of him. Six months ago Arthur suggested he would never get used to it and Jack had come to see the former King was right. Telepathy was one thing, but the druid was quite another. All his ideas on his visitor being a time traveller had gone out of the window. Gary Roberts; he even lived a normal 21st century life… well, as normal as a man with the gift of magic could, Jack supposed.

Jack was happy to realise that he no longer felt any sort of presence in his mind. The key and druid necklace indeed turned out to be the only reasons for his headache and memory loss. Now that both were gone he just felt relief. His frustrations at the way Gary walked into his mind were not forgotten, but Jack could accept the reasons the man had for doing what he did. Just to be sure though that his mind stayed his own from this point forward Jack pulled up what he hoped was a strong enough mental barrier.

There was one thing though which he could totally agree on with Gary. Merlin needed to live in order for the world to survive the Zoganian invasion, whose imminent arrival was just a matter of time now. Jack had a feeling both magic and science were needed to fight whatever was coming over their way. Torchwood was always ready, but maybe this one was a step too far for just the three of them? He had to find a way to convince Merlin and his friends to help them…

Looking back towards the bench Jack saw Merlin and Gary were still sitting there. They spoke in hushed voices. Part of him was curious about what was said between them, but another part knew that he had to leave them be. Maybe this way he could show to Merlin that he trusted him and with a bit of luck it would result in the warlock trusting him in return. So far Merlin had kept his distance and each time when they met he walked out again to hide back up north. Would it be different this time around?

Jack knew he spoke too harsh to Arthur yesterday to convince him the energy transfer was needed. All the same he hoped that his point of the dangerous time ahead of them had come across. Maybe Arthur, or Gwaine, could convince Merlin to trust his team. At the very least they could fight together in the invasion to come. Everything he had seen yesterday confirmed to him how close the three friends truly were. Behind all the banter was a shared loyalty. It ran far deeper than anything Jack had ever seen before.

Lost in thought Jack sat down on a crumbled wall. He was still staring off into the distance when a polite cough announced Merlin's presence. A lopsided grin awaited him when he looked up, blinking against the sunlight. Jack rose onto his feet and he smiled back at Merlin. "Did you get all the answers you wanted?"

"Some of them, yes. There is never a chance one gets a druid to answer them all in one go. They are a patient people. So are you ready to get back to Cardiff?"

Jack nodded with eager enthusiasm. He'd been ready to go home for a while now. A glance at his watch told him that Merlin had sure taken his time with Gary. Already the best part of the morning had passed away. It made him believe that his team and Merlin's friends were back at the Hub already. "Lead the way", Jack suggested. With a smile he offered his right hand to Merlin, who grabbed it while he closed his eyes to concentrate on finding a city several miles down south from Raglan.


	22. HP: Chapter eleven

**Chapter eleven**

Cardiff Bay buzzed with people. Tourists and locals alike walked across the Roald Dahl Plass. Some looked up, but none of them spotted the two men who appeared from out of thin air only to step onto the copper tiled roof of the Wales Millennium Centre. With a grin Jack realised where he was the moment they arrived. "Woah, when you said you could find this building from afar I didn't know you meant to do so quite this up close."

Merlin shrugged to him with a wry grin. "I do hope that you know of a safe way down?"

For a moment Jack pretended to be unsure, but then he winked. "Follow me…" He walked off, across the copper plated roof and towards his way downwards. Along the way he remembered the last time he'd been up here it was with Gwen on the day she found out about Torchwood. She was filled with the same awe Merlin had for the view around them.

Together they climbed down to ground level, taking the fire escape route and then the door which led them inside of the grand, modern building. Moments later the two men walked outside through one of the many glass entrance doors below the letter windows. They then stepped into the daylight and headed for the end of the docks.

In silence the two walked into the mock tourist office and then through the long narrow corridors leading into the Hub. When finally the huge round door opened in front of him Jack breathed a sigh of relief at the welcoming sight of the place he called home.

Gwen, Ianto, Gwaine and Arthur were already there to welcome them. Clearly they'd been back at the Hub for a while now for the place smelled of coffee and pizza. The three walkers' backpacks were piled against a desk, where the computer showed a map of the southern part of Wales. Even from where Jack stood he could see about a dozen dots spread out on it. Most were near Cardiff and a few were several miles up north.

It seemed Gwen had followed his line of sight, "Six months ago about a dozen cubes came through the rift. Most landed near the city, others came to the Earth further afield and one among them in Camelot. It looks like all, minus the two we destroyed between us, flew off to Zogania this morning."

Jack nodded once silence fell among them. In the corner of his eyes he saw Merlin step forwards, slowly making his way over to the computer screens with an intense and unfathomable sad look in his eyes. "Are you sure _all_ of the cubes have left?" His eyes stayed locked on the map while he waited for her answer.

"The rift in time and space in the sky above Cardiff gives our computer signals. It is a sensitive and quite accurate system. The cubes' arrival signals however were too minimal for it to raise an alarm, so we were only warned about the one which landed close by enough. I used its unique signature to enhance the computer's filters and I found them all, as you can see. When they left each gave off a surge of energy the computer could trace as well. So yeah, I am sure."

"We also know one left before the others did", Ianto said while he walked over to the screen. Pointing at a blue dot placed on the map not all too far from where Jack deemed Camelot to be Ianto continued, "This cube left Earth first and only seconds later the others followed. We believe it scanned an innocent passerby and since no one stopped it the cube could return to where it came from."

"So they are truly coming…" Jack trailed off when Merlin turned back around.

Otherwise sparkling eyes were positively sad now and for a moment the ancient look of wisdom and grief took his breath away. Merlin sounded far off when he spoke. "The Valley of the Fallen Kings, nothing good ever happens there, not even in this century it seems." There was a short pause before Merlin continued, "Tell me that you will help me find this person who got scanned, so I can heal them."

Jack nodded once, letting the other man know that he had his promise.

* * *

From the moment that he saw the dots on the map Merlin felt a shiver travel over his spine. There was a cube in the Valley of the Fallen Kings! Just like the one in Camelot it had defied magic; in this instance it was the natural version of it surrounding the Crystal Cave. It scared Merlin that the cubes could do so. Strange how his magic healed the alien virus and yet it couldn't stop the cubes. Was this where Gary's warning came in?

Of all the things Merlin learned today it was the explanation behind Gwaine's return which left him both awed and stunned at once. Arthur's return was always foretold as was his own immortality. They had to go hand in hand, or so Gary told him. Through time the prophecy was never altered, for no seer ever saw anything different awaiting them in the future of Albion. Yet his tribe, the Roberts clan, believed the two of them needed help.

What was it Gary said? "Magic and Courage are nothing without Strength." The words still echoed in the depth of Merlin's mind. The druid tribe seemed to think Albion could only survive its darkest hour when the three of them worked together. So they spent many moons creating a spell, one eventually cast upon Lake Avalon by a generation long before Gary's was even born. Somehow it had worked and so when Arthur returned to the world he wasn't alone.

Merlin didn't complain, because he was more than happy that Gwaine was here, but how could he tell both of his friends how there was no way out for any of them? Once more destiny had them in its relentless claws. Long ago he'd come at peace with his own fate, but there was no time anymore for his friends to get used to being an important part of it…

A hand on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts. Arthur smiled at him, with a fondness in his eyes he rarely showed when others were around. "Merlin, we stand in this together now. You are not alone anymore." His voice was as sure as ever. "There is a reason for my return. We have known it all along, even though we never talked about it. I won't walk away from it, old friend. If whatever is coming our way comes I prefer to face it head on. You know me; I never stand by and watch. It's not who I am."

"Not who I am either. Arthur is right, mate, and you know it. It is just us against the world like it has always been", Gwaine added.

In spite of his worried feelings Merlin knew that they were both right. "This is unlike anything else we have ever faced though."

"Maybe that is where Torchwood comes in…", Jack offered. "Alien invasions and all of the other weird stuff is what we do best. This time though it seems even us experts are in over our heads. But what if we connect your magical abilities and fighting skills with our computers, knowledge and weapons? The Zoganians won't stand a chance then. Will you come and join us, all three of you, so we can face it together?"

Merlin looked at his two friends and saw they were still standing by their words. Both were ready to fight for what was right once more. The final prophecy of the druids was about to come true for they would stand together as foretold…

What happened after 'Albion's hour of need' was the great unknown, according to Gary and his tribe. The last seer to ever live had not seen beyond it, nor had any others of his kind. The idea was both daunting and liberating to Merlin. Would destiny leave them be if they made it to the other side? Or did it only mean their journey would end? Merlin didn't know and to be honest he didn't want to know either.

Merlin looked at Arthur and nodded slightly, to let him make the final decision with his advice. "We will join Torchwood in this fight", the former King accepted with a smile. He then stepped over to Jack to clasp his arm to seal the deal.

When Jack turned to Merlin to shake his hand Merlin followed Arthur's example. Clasping the other man's arm he said, "This morning I was told it has always been our destiny to meet and walk together for a while. Let us make the most of it."

* * *

The next morning Jack looked down into the main area of the Hub from his office window. His now extended team of five was working in silence down there. Gwaine, Arthur and Gwen were sitting at a desk covered with old fashioned maps. Every now and then she took the two men over to help them compare what was on it with the modern Torchwood computer version of the world map. It was her way of showing them around the system. At the same time they pinpointed the exact location of all the cube landing sites, so it wasn't an entirely wasted exercise. They were also still trying to locate the victim of the final cube's scan.

At another desk Ianto opened a box from the archives. Even from where he stood Jack realised that it was the same one in which Ianto found a certain bronze key; the box from 1914. Merlin had asked him if he could browse through it, so he could ensure that the path to Camelot was well hidden from the rest of the world again. Jack had a sneaky suspicion the warlock wanted to hide himself from any future Torchwood teams and he couldn't blame him. If he were in Merlin's shoes he'd do the same thing. So he just nodded to Ianto and told the two men to go ahead. They would never learn that Jack had already set up his own file on the immortal man of magic.

Jack was happy to have the Hub filled with people again. Their laughter and hard work put the old ghosts back asleep, or so Jack hoped. He knew in the end he would be here alone again… like he always was, but for now it didn't matter. Torchwood was once more back to full force. Whatever would come? They were ready!

In need of a distraction from the boring files waiting on his desk Jack grabbed his coffee mug and headed down the stairs. It was time to join his team in the action…


	23. Cold as Ice

**PART 4: COLD AS ICE**

* * *

 **Chapter one**

 _Two months later…_

The day everything changed Cardiff was covered in a thick layer of snow, while even more fell from the sky. In the early morning light citizens hid in their warm winter coats as they made their way along snow covered lanes. Some children were running about, playing in the snow by the side of the road on their way to school. Every now and then their parents shouted after them to be careful. Cars and busses were driving passed slowly, trying to make their way across the city on slippery streets. No one had any idea what else was to come, no one… except for the six members of Torchwood, who feared the Zoganian invasion was imminent.

Looking out of the window of the fourth floor apartment Merlin let his thoughts go back to the day he joined Torchwood. Had it been the right choice? In spite of everything they tried the last two months they had come no step closer to solving the problem of the cubes. What was even worse was that they were unable so far to find the person who was last scanned by a cube. Even when Merlin visited the Valley of the Fallen Kings, the last known location of both the cube and its victim, he came back without answers.

Merlin grinned when he remembered Ianto's reaction to the transportation spell. Both Jack and Arthur insisted he'd bring someone along on his trip to the valley. To humour them he'd taken Ianto, who seemed eager to learn about magic. The moment they arrived in the valley the younger man's eyes had widened while he laughed in joy. No words were needed to show his surprise at the sudden change of scenery.

The two men had walked up and down the many steps scattered through the forest covered valley, but not a trace of anything out of place was found. What had happened to the cube's victim? It just didn't make sense this person had disappeared altogether. Both Ianto and Merlin had fallen ill rather fast when it happened to them and so there was no reason to suspect a third victim would react any different to the scan. Then how come there was no sign of him, or her?

In silence Merlin had even managed to sneak away from Ianto for a few moments. The pull of the crystals in the Crystal Cave had drawn him in, though he was sad to find how weak their power was these days. Merlin had breathed a sigh of relief when he'd found the entrance was still sealed shut and that the crystals were left undisturbed. At least something had gone well for him there. However when Merlin had walked inside the cave his heart had dropped at the way his magic failed to burn bright like it normally did when he stood among the crystals. Instead it had merely fluttered restless in his veins before it calmed back down.

Confused, but knowing that he'd been gone for long enough already Merlin had walked back out of the cave and he had replaced the magical seal to hide it from sight once more. With growing fear in his heart he'd returned to Ianto, so that they could head back to Cardiff. Once there he had kept silent to everyone, unsure of how to face his fears and share his secret of where the heart of magic was. Up until today he had kept his worries to himself.

"Wow, it's snowing." Gwaine's enthusiastic remark cut into Merlin's thoughts.

Pushing his worries to the back of his mind Merlin turned around to greet his friend with a warm smile. "Good morning to you too."

The former knight grinned while he grabbed a piece of toast from the plate on the table. Merlin watched him take a bite of it before he came over to his side. "Where were you off to just now?" Intent brown eyes tried to catch his, but Merlin couldn't meet the question in them and so he shrugged before he looked outside again.

After a moment of silence Gwaine's sad voice offered to him, "One of these days you are going to have to trust us. All these secrets and all of those hundreds of years gone by, we may not know all of what you went through, but know that these memories are not your burden to bear alone. It is our destiny as well. You said so yourself…"

For a moment the knight's hand rested on his shoulder, but before Merlin could try and speak Gwaine turned away with conflicted emotions shining bright in his eyes. All Merlin could do was stare after his friend who walked out of the door, while putting on his black woollen winter coat. His every move seemed filled with the barely concealed effort not to lose his patience in front of Merlin.

Merlin could not shake the feeling he'd upset Gwaine far more with his silence than he thought possible. The tension between them had been rising for days, if not weeks, and now they'd almost come to a blow. Almost, because Gwaine decided to walk out to calm down instead. His gesture of compassion made Merlin see he'd sold his friends short by keeping it all to himself. Maybe it was time he tried opening up to them, but how?

* * *

Gwaine tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat. The freezing cold had his fingers turn numb, because in his hurry he'd forgotten to bring his gloves. Shaking his head at his stupid self he sighed. His already fragile mood was taking a tumble for the worst.

It just made him angry and sad at once to know that Merlin continued to hide behind a wall of mystery and secrets. Gwaine accepted that his friend had lived for an impossible long time. As such he also understood the wariness of a world which had forgotten about magic, but had he not showed Merlin time and time again that he could be trusted? His loyalty had not wavered once. Not through getting used to this time and not when things took a turn for the worst in Camelot. So why did his best friend shut him out still, in spite of everything they went through together? Gwaine had grown tired of feeling like he was always one step behind when it came to Merlin.

Plodding on through the snow Gwaine knew he wasn't being entirely fair. His foul mood had as much to do with his own bad memories as it did with Merlin being too used to keeping secrets. Gwaine believed that he was passed the guilt of telling Morgana the truth before he died, but it seemed it didn't matter all too much. The pain the nathair put him through was a different beast altogether. Every now and then his brain remembered and he'd wake up with a scream caught short in his throat. It hadn't happened for weeks, so a part of him had wanted to hold onto the hope that the nightmare would never return again. Of course it was not to be; something Gwaine was all too aware of since last night.

The lack of sleep combined with the painful reminders always made Gwaine feel pensive and by far too vulnerable. He knew most people saw him as carefree, but little did they know. Maybe he too continued to hide his scars as well. With a wry grin he realised that they all were being secretive in some way.

Arthur was hiding his grief for the life he never had with Guinevere. Ever since he pulled the truth out of Merlin how she moved on and later married Leon, with whom she even had a couple of children, the former King pretended that he wasn't hurt. Gwaine though didn't buy any of his half hearted shrugs and remarks on how things worked in the royal court back then. Sure he could understand why Gwen had to marry someone to be able to rule the Kingdom and he was glad she'd chosen a gentle man like Leon, but there was no way Arthur didn't wish he'd been the one to live his life with her until the end.

Then there was Merlin, who hid whatever came too close to his heart, or to his magic. Was it still a reflex from the time he was even forbidden to show his true identity? Or was there more to it than this? Gwaine was unsure and so far he'd been afraid to ask, because the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Merlin by stirring up unwanted feelings of grief and lost loves.

In turn Gwaine himself had not been fully honest with either friend, nor with himself for that matter. Eira's betrayal had made it difficult for him to trust a woman with his broken heart again. Oh sure, he still enjoyed to flirt and make eyes with them, but he found there were only two people left in the world he trusted with his life. However in his mind he wasn't quite ready to admit to how much they grounded him and how they held his slowly healing heart in their palms. Even so he knew that in his foul mood he'd messed up with Merlin, so Gwaine turned around and he started to hurry back to the flat. Maybe he could catch his friends in time for work…

Taking the stairs two steps at the time Gwaine didn't bother calling the elevator. He was still a bit unsure of the contraption. The confined space crept him out and he knew that he wasn't alone in the feeling. More often than not the three of them walked the stairs to work. It kept them fit, or at least it was the excuse Arthur often used for them all before they parted ways with Ianto and Jack, who lived up on the sixth floor.

Storming inside Gwaine didn't even bother to take off his coat. He wasn't surprised to find Merlin right where he left him. "Merlin… I am so sorry. I was being too harsh", his out of breath excuse met with a look of surprise en genuine emotions of regret.

"Maybe, but you were right too. I…"

Gwaine waved Merlin's words away in favour of wrapping his friend up in a tight one armed hug. "After work yeah? We all need to sit down then. To be honest, you are not the only one with secrets, my friend."

They parted when a sleepy looking Arthur walked into the livingroom. "Was that the front door I heard? What's going on?" The combination of his confused look and question made the two friends laugh.

Gwaine dropped his coat in a heap over a chair, his pensive mood fading fast. "Just us being us, never mind. You better drink your coffee and get your royal behind into action. It's time for work…"

Gwaine winked to Merlin while he grabbed a mug of coffee to let him know everything was alright between him. A lopsided smile and twinkling blue eyes were all he needed for an answer to his earlier question. At last they would talk, or at least they'd find a way to open up to one another.

* * *

Many yards away from the flat and several feet below the pavement the Torchwood Hub was already buzzing with energy. The snow hadn't diminished Jack's mood for one moment. Last night with Ianto at his mercy was so much fun, and so he felt like he could take on the world today. Not even the pile of files on his desk dampened his spirit.

After half an hour of reading and signing files Jack heard the alarms of the large, round entrance door blare. The sound was a clear sign one or more of his team members finally saw it fit to join him for a day of work. Looking out of the window in his office he noticed that it was Gwen. With a wave of his hand he welcomed her, before he rushed out of his office. While he walked down the stairs he greeted her properly, "Hi Gwen. How are you this beautiful morning?"

Her brows rose at his enthusiasm, but to Jack's amusement she stayed quiet at first and just scoffed. "Ianto, what have you been feeding him?" She then asked. Jack grinned knowingly to Ianto, who blushed rather cutely next to the pile of boxes he repacked. While they shared looks filled with laughs and naughty feelings Gwen rolled her eyes. Jack mock pouted when she walked off in a mock hurry, holding up one of her hands to tell him not to brag about what he was up to after work hours.

Jack was still smiling when the rift computer started to beep. What was going on? The three friends were at the computer screen in seconds. Gwen touched a few keys to find out what it was warning them about today. Not much later three pairs of eyes stared at the security feedback of the Cardiff Bay area cameras in shock…

* * *

From the moment Arthur stepped into the livingroom he had a feeling he'd interrupted something. There was a tension between his two friends, which faded before he could blink. Arthur knew that he wasn't the most observant person when it came to emotions and such, but after months of living so close together even he could not miss it. There was tiredness and a trace of hurt lingering in Gwaine's eyes, while Merlin's smile had not reached his eyes in weeks and it only just reappeared now. It could only mean one thing; someone had touched a nerve…

While Arthur readied himself for another day of Torchwood craziness he couldn't help but wonder if the trouble was lying right there. Keswick was a place of wide open spaces, of riding horses and walking through the countryside. From the moment they came to Cardiff there was noise, people and a huge amount of running involved. Working for Torchwood had brought chaos and stress. Maybe all they needed was a break away from it, so that they could sit down and talk, or even go for a ride. The thought was enough to make Arthur smile to himself. Today he would ask Jack for the weekend off. It was Friday now, so all they had to do was get through today. This they could manage right?

A loud bang in the sky above Cardiff put an end to his hopeful thoughts. Something out there had the entire flat shake on its foundations and at the same time all the glass panes in the windows shattered to pieces. Out of reflex Arthur dropped to the ground and in the corner of his eyes he saw his friends do the same. Shards of glass flew all around them. In an effort not go get hurt Arthur covered his face with his arms.

When after a couple of long seconds he deemed it to be safe again he peeked out from between his arms and spotted his friends lying a few feet away from him. It seemed Gwaine had pulled Merlin down, if the way he was spread all over Merlin's back was anything to go by. Concerned by their stillness Arthur got to his feet and he half crawled over to them, trying to avoid the pieces of glass scattered across the floor along the way. "Are you two alright?"

To his relief Merlin muttered something unintelligible. "Yeah", Gwaine confirmed for the both of them while his head shot up.

Arthur offered him a helping hand to get back on his feet and he wasn't surprised to feel the strong grip. In one quick move Gwaine was standing again. While Arthur reached out to help Merlin he saw how the former knight clasped his hand around a gash on his arm. The effort proved to be rather useless, because blood still trickled down his shirt sleeve.

With a grimace Gwaine lied, "It's just a scratch…"

Frowning Arthur pulled up Merlin, at once spotting a similar look of firm disbelief in the warlock's eyes. The moment his friend was up on his feet he headed over to Gwaine, pried away his hand and began muttering words in what Arthur since a few weeks knew to be Old English. Trusting in the fact that it was a healing spell and that Gwaine would soon be alright again Arthur walked over to the now glassless window frame.

A cold breeze blew the snowflakes inside, but Arthur ignored it. All he could see out there was the strange and impossibly large shape of dull grey which came to a full stop into the sky above the flat. Never before in his life had he seen an alien spaceship, but the huge construction of metals and engines he'd never seen before told Arthur that this was what it must be. Earth had no such invention yet, had it? The hovering object seemed utterly and undeniably out of place to him.

Looking over to his right he saw Merlin and Gwaine had come over to the window as well. His own feeling of dread and fear was mirrored in their eyes. "The Zoganians", Merlin whispered, as if he was afraid to say it out loud.

Arthur put his hand on a bony shoulder, "Fear not, old friend. We will face them together." Connecting eyes with Gwaine he nodded and he soon was met with an answering look of understanding. Albion's hour of need had come and they would be there for Merlin…


	24. CAI: Chapter two

**Chapter two**

In a blur of movement Jack jumped into action. "Ianto, check with local authorities and tell them Torchwood is on the case. Let them stay out of our way and have them focus on keeping the people calm and safe instead. Gwen, help him… oh, and keep an eye on the aliens. I want to know what happens as soon as they make their next move."

Grabbing a mobile phone from the desk Jack called Merlin and his friends. It took a few seconds before Merlin answered the call. "Where are you?" Jack asked without delay.

"Sorry, we're running late, but we are on our way over to the Hub as we speak." In the background Jack heard a front door slam shut and the keys rattle in Merlin's hands. The voice on the other end of the phone sounded hollow, and each word echoed off the walls in the staircase of the flat. "Is this about the alien spaceship? 'Cause yeah, we saw it too… in fact it's let us become rather acquainted with the glass of our former windows. We are all still in one piece though, nothing I couldn't fix."

Merlin's dry sense of humour made Jack grin, in spite of the urgency and danger of their situation. He had a feeling there was magic involved. When wasn't there ever with Merlin and his friends? It was time though for business, and so Jack ordered Merlin to "hurry the hell up" before he broke the connection.

Next call was for Martha and UNIT. He hoped that her people were on the case as well, because Torchwood needed all the help they could get. "Jack…" Her voice was almost breathless, as if she'd been running around.

"Martha, always a pleasure to hear your beautiful voice."

He heard her grin. "Get to it, Jack. I am called to work. Something about a spaceship in the sky in your neck of the woods."

Her reaction had him grin, but in a split second he sobered up again. "We believe it's the Zoganians, the race of aliens who sent the cubes through the rift eight months ago. This ship looks a remarkable lot like their technology. They are the same damn aliens who got Ianto so ill, Martha. If I am right they are a serious threat."

"We got your report, Jack." Martha's voice sounded calm and all business-like.

Jack rolled his eyes at her answer. "I am afraid, there's more to it than I let on. My report to UNIT was, uh let's say a lot less detailed than the truth. It's something I can't talk about, because I promised Michael Cane and his friends that I wouldn't."

Martha hummed non-committal. He heard her heels click, an indication to him that she walked away from where ever she was in the huge London building of UNIT. Assuming that she was searching for privacy Jack waited for her to speak. "We can talk freely now. What are you trying to say?" She asked after a while.

For a moment Jack wondered what he could tell her and what was best left unsaid for the moment. Making his choice on the spot he explained, "You can't tell anyone, promise me Martha." Jack waited for her agreement and then continued, "Camelot exists, I have seen it, though it has fallen into ruin. Anyway there was a cube there and Merlin got scanned before we arrived. Arthur destroyed the thing, but Merlin had already fallen sick. Some combination of his magic and my energy saved his life. Trust me… it's a long story, but all you need to know is this; a dozen cubes fell through the rift and two months ago they flew off after scanning an innocent passerby whom we never found."

"Wow… Camelot, to think it's really out there somewhere."

Jack grinned at the wonder in her voice and at how her mind got stuck on the town rather than on what happened. "Ah, but it's hidden from sight. Merlin has done a good job too and I am not even sure I could find it again."

"No wonder no one to date has ever been able to find it", Martha said before she asked, "Jack, do you think I need to call _him_?"

Picking up on the emphasis she gave to her last word Jack deducted that she meant the Doctor. If anyone would have some idea on how to deal with their current situation then it was him. "It can't hurt to try, but we can't wait for him."

He could almost hear her eyes roll at the logic behind his answer. "Be careful out there, Jack. There's only the three of you left to fight them."

"Actually…" Jack let his voice trail off to tease her.

"What?!" Martha asked with obvious curiosity in her voice.

"Michael Cane and his friends, remember them? I got them to join us." Jack's bright smile could probably be seen all the way in London.

"Good for you, Jack. Listen, I gotta run. I meant it though, be careful, all six of you… and keep me updated." The connection was broken from her end of the line, leaving Jack to stare at his phone in amusement for a moment.

* * *

The mobile phone placed in it's holder on the TARDIS console rarely rung. It was only there for emergencies and to connect The Doctor with his former companion Martha, or rather the other way around. To Donna's surprise this time The Doctor's reaction was, "Leave it. Don't answer it."

It made no sense to her, so she put her hands on her hips to confront him about his rudeness. "Oy. You're gonna leave Martha hanging? Why?"

The Doctor's deep brown eyes filled up with agony. He raked a hand through his already messy hair, sighed and smiled the smile of a frustrated man. "I wish I could help, Donna… but this is a fixed moment in time. I can't interfere with what happens, even though I want to."

Disbelief filled her eyes and then anger spilled out of Donna before she could even consider stopping it. "You know what is going on, don't you? How can you not help a friend in need? How can you not help my home planet?"

Releasing another frustrated sigh the Doctor said, "Remember the volcano eruption in Pompeii, Donna. It's like I told you then, some things are meant to happen so other important events can take place. I can see all of time and trust me, we can't help them."

Donna's heart filled with sadness. She remembered Pompeii all too well. In the end she had helped the Doctor set events in motion, which led to the well known eruption, which in turn flattened the Roman town. Sadly it was their only option at the time. Had they not ignited the volcano then the entire Earth would have been lost to aliens made of fire and stone a long time ago. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place…

She put a hand on his shoulder, "Martha will be alright. She's a tough one."

The Doctor smiled suddenly, as if he'd gotten over the moment of doubt. "Sure she can! Especially with the help she has. Talk about someone special. With his magical gift Albion will be safe and your planet will be all the better for it." His waterfall of words made no sense to Donna, but all the same she smiled. This was the wonderful Timelord she knew.

Donna would never know how much the Doctor struggled with this one particular fixed point of time. It was far more difficult for him to walk away then he let on. Both his hearts ached, knowing the sacrifice the greatest warlock the universe had ever known was forced to make. All the power he had as a Timelord and here he was, forced to stand by and watch. Sometimes it hurt like hell to see every second of time…

* * *

Merlin stepped out of the flat entrance doors, followed on the heals by Gwaine and Arthur. Flakes of snow blew into his face, making him shiver. He threw one more glance at the spaceship in sky above him and then walked off, "Come on, we better hurry. We need to get to the Hub, and fast." Only a few steps later he stopped to look between his two friends and the thick pack of snow covering the street in front of them. This was ridiculous; there was a far better way to travel. "Give me your hands…"

Seconds later the three friends appeared in the middle of the Hub. Merlin smiled when he realised that he'd succeeded. It was quite tricky to aim for the underground headquarters for there was no link with magic there. Instead he focused on Jack's ever present energy, which he'd been able to sense ever since Jack gave him some of it in Camelot. All he had to do was reach out with his magic and he felt the life force answer back. Merlin had no clue how it worked exactly, but today he was just glad it did.

The moment he appeared a startled Jack stared at him in amusement from only just a few feet away. With a shrug Merlin said, "You told me to hurry, so here we are."

Arthur let go of his hand and stepped away. He looked at Jack and said, "One day you will have to tell me how you get Merlin to actually listen to an order."

In a wordless answer to remind them all of the matter at hand Merlin pointed upwards and rolled his eyes at once to emphasize his point. As he had expected it sobered his friends up, and fast.

Turning towards the screen Merlin checked out the live feed of the cctv outside. The spaceship looked no less intimidating to him from here. Destiny; what had it in store for them now? He risked a glance over to Jack and met with a nod. A glimpse of fear was quickly hidden in the bright blue eyes. Merlin swallowed and nodded back, to let the captain know that he was ready. Though in all honesty he couldn't say he was. There was something in the steel of the Zoganians which made his magic want to curl in on itself.

"Sir", Ianto called out to them as he walked into the room, phone in his hand. Merlin's eyes fell on the well dressed form of the young Welsh man. There was a serious look on his face when he continued, "Reports are coming in about other spaceship sightings. There's one spotted above mainland Europe and also the US. Moscow is keeping it under wraps for now, but UNIT believes there is one in the sky above the Red Square as well. Further reports confirm sightings above South Africa, Sydney, Dubai and Brazil."

Ianto had barely spoken when Gwen called out. "Oh no. They are scanning the city!"

Merlin turned back to the computer screens in time to see a wide beam of blue light spread out from the spaceship. Every time it touched a man, woman or child they fell down into the cold snow. Merlin's heart filled with dread, knowing what it meant. Tears filled his eyes, but he pushed them back from falling. All these innocent people struck with illness… how many people were there in Cardiff? How many thousands would die? It was impossible to help them all with his magic in the time they had left to live.

Just as quick as the scan had started it ended. The snow covered landscape of Cardiff shown on the screen turned white again. Relieved Merlin let go of the breath he wasn't even aware he'd been holding out of fear of being scanned a second time.

"It passed us by", Arthur voiced all of their surprise. "Why?"

* * *

The rest of the world wasn't as lucky as the six inside the Hub. The eight spaceships hovering in the sky above had covered the entire planet with their scans. Every human being was touched, no matter their heritage, or age. Some of them had the gift of magic, others didn't. The Zoganians made no exception in their attack. All six billion humans were vast asleep, their bodies about to be taken over by the army of tiny metal killers.

With an air of arrogance the Zoganian empress Zamira rose from her throne on the flagship of the fleet. She walked over to the window to look down to the watery planet below. So many oceans to be frozen over, so much fuel for her empire. The satisfied smirk in her pale white face said it all. Her army had won without the need to fight. Humans were of course not a match for her at all. She almost pitied how easy the weaklings were beaten… almost, because she did not care for one moment.

All Zamira saw in the city below was the confirmation of what she already knew. The Zoganians were the supreme race, as always. Planet Earth had already fallen…


	25. CAI: Chapter three

**Chapter three**

Gwen was still staring at the screens showing the empty streets of her home town. To see 'her people' lie spread out across the snow filled her heart with sadness. No one had stood a chance against the light beam. No one was given a choice whether to surrender or flee. Instead every innocent person had succumbed to a virus she did not understand. Of all the things they expected to happen this was the worst case scenario.

Her mind turned to her husband Rhys. Where had he been when the scan hit the planet? Had he still been in his pyjamas, watching morning telly? Or had he dressed and gone out to work already? His hauling firm was doing well, even after the rocky start he had. Worry grabbed a hold of her heart. "Rhys! I must go and see him. I need to know if he is alright… I…"

Her voice faltered when Jack shook his head in a firm no. "Gwen, it's not safe out there. We need to focus on the matter at hand first."

With an equally as firm shake of her head Gwen interrupted him, "We can't just leave him to die, I need to know where he is, Jack. I _need_ him to be safe."

A hand on her arm made her turn around. Merlin smiled at her before he locked eyes with Jack, "It's alright, I will go with Gwen, maybe I can heal Rhys. At the very least we will find out what happened to the people up there. They may not even suffer the same fate as Ianto and I did. I will take a blood sample and bring it back to the Hub, so we can examine it."

"But there is no doctor here to do so", Jack objected. "Unless…" Gwen noticed a glimmer of hope and prayer in his voice as he grabbed his phone again to call someone. While he waited several tense moments for an answer his smile faded again. "Damn, there's no answer from UNIT. They must have fallen too".

Gwen immediately understood his curse showed his fear for Martha. "Martha was there? I am so sorry, Jack." Her heart dropped once more, now that there was no reason for Jack to let her go home to Rhys… or so she thought for a moment until she learned what Merlin was up to.

The warlock had rummaged around in the medical bay for a while, searching for something and making a mess of Owen's old desk. No one realised what it was he wanted until Merlin returned with a handful of injection needless. "Well, it's a good thing you still have me around then."

Jack looked at him in a serious manner; the leader in him had stepped up once more. "You are a doctor?"

Gwen smiled at the way Merlin rolled his eyes and met the firm stare with one of his own. With a sudden smile he nodded and said, "I've been a healer for as long as I live. You do the maths."

The answer was enough for Gwen. She grabbed her coat from the cloak stand and while putting it on she walked over to the round door. Turning around she waited for Merlin to join her.

"You two mind if I tag along? Someone needs to keep you both out of trouble", Gwaine said with a wink and a nod to Arthur.

"Be back before supper", Arthur joked in turn, but there was a look on his face which told Gwen that he was really saying, "Be careful". One more nod and Merlin stepped through the now opened door. Gwen followed quickly, and as she half ran towards the exit followed by the two men she started praying Rhys was going to be alright.

* * *

The three had barely left when Arthur turned to look at Jack. "I may have only been around for two months in this place, but I have a feeling that we are not going to sit and wait. What do you have in mind?"

He wasn't surprised when Jack grinned. "Glad to know at least one of you can keep up with me." Arthur rolled his eyes at the flirting wink the captain gave him, but he remained silent for he was eager to know what they were about to do and he definitely didn't want to risk more innuendo coming from the man.

When Jack opened his mouth to set out his plan Ianto interrupted them. "Something is happening out there. There's a strange vertical light in the air."

Arthur turned towards the screens and saw several small beams pierce through the sky and touch the ground. From out of nowhere five women, each one dressed in a smart, white uniform appeared. They landed in different parts of the city and each woman was joined by a man, who held a far too familiar looking cube. What were the Zoganians up to now? Arthur couldn't help but fear what it meant for his three friends if these people learned that they were walking around Cardiff.

"Transporter beams", Jack groaned before he started to smirk and said, "We need to get outside to see if we can steal the technology from them. Maybe then we can pay them a visit and tell them where to go."

Ianto rolled his eyes in reaction to the turn Jack's mind had taken while Arthur stared at the captain as if he was crazy. Taking risks was a thing he'd quickly come to associate with Jack, but this seemed like taking it one step too far, even for him. Then again, there was no other way Arthur could think of either and so he nodded his agreement.

"Great, just another day at Torchwood then. I knew I should have stayed in bed this morning". Ianto's dry remark made Arthur grin. The younger man's actions however spoke against his words, because he put on his coat before he grabbed a couple of guns from a desk drawer. Arthur accepted his and put it in one of his coat pockets. He did not know whether he would use it yet. The lessons Gwaine and he had gotten from Jack on how to use the modern weapon had only covered the basics. Arthur did not believe that his aim was as accurate yet as it was with a bow and arrow.

While he secured the gun his eyes fell on Excalibur, lying wrapped up in a cloth on a nearby desk. Could he? In a flash Arthur decided to take it along. He ignored Jack's frown while he grabbed it and put on the leather belt so that he could sheath his sword on it. "Best weapon there is in this world, trust me".

Jack seemed sceptic, but Arthur didn't care. He knew his words were more than an excuse. Ever since Merlin admitted it was forged in the Dragon's breath Arthur was convinced that magic was connected to his sword. It was why the cube hiding in Camelot had been no match for Excalibur, but the Torchwood three didn't know this. Merlin had insisted that they keep the magical part to themselves out of fear of the sword falling into the wrong hands. It was only Arthur's to wield… or so Merlin had claimed.

In a flash Arthur walked passed Jack and he headed for the round door. He smiled to Jack who followed him, and soon they, along with Ianto, stepped out into the freezing cold. Adrenaline rushed through Arthur's veins while the three of them crept further into the city, tracing the footprints in the snow made by a couple of Zoganians. They stayed some hundred yards behind the pair who had arrived in the middle of the Roald Dahl Plass to observe what they were up to. A few times when the couple looked their way the three friends hid behind the huge pillars for cover.

Every now and then the female stopped walking. In a strange sounding language she ordered the obedient man around. Four times now he had set the cube, which he carried in his arms, down in the snow next to an unconscious citizen. Each time she'd chosen a light haired woman as their subject, Arthur noticed. Was it a coincidence? He had a feeling that there was something more to it, but what?

For a fifth time now the man put down the cube and he touched a few panels on it. After a while it let out a sharp beep. Once more the Zoganian woman frowned and looked displeased with the result. Her companion cowered when she shouted another order at him. Arthur frowned at his meek obedience when she hit him in the face, as if the man was personally to blame for whatever the cube told them.

"They must be searching for something, or rather someone special", Jack whispered with a frown. His words were followed by signals of his hand, which told Arthur that they should spread out and surround the couple in stealth mode. It was time to make their move on them…

* * *

Finally they'd reached Gwen's house. Merlin breathed a sigh of relief when he realised that they were safe. Just a few blocks back they'd almost run into a couple of Zoganians, who suddenly beamed down from the skies and carried a cube. The dreaded thing made Merlin's magic cringe and his heart drop. What were these aliens doing with their awful devices now? He shook off his fear and stepped inside the warm home of his teammate.

Gwen was running passed him to get inside and into her living room. "Rhys…", his name fell from her lips with a smile. "He's right here on the couch, just where I left him." All too quickly though Merlin saw her smile drop, for she could not wake him.

Merlin kneeled down at her side and he put his hand on her shoulder. "Let me try." He waited until Gwaine pulled Gwen away a little, to offer him more room to work.

After a breath to steady himself Merlin rested his hand on Rhys' chest. Underneath his palm he sensed the beating of a heart, letting his magic find it. Glad to find out that Rhys was alive Merlin pulled out the injection needles from the pocket of his coat. Not before long he had taken a couple of blood samples of the infected blood cells. Maybe it could help him with creating a cure for everyone else.

When he was done Merlin tucked the vials filled with blood away before he once more rested his hand on Rhys' chest. He let his other hand join too and concentrated on the steady heartbeat for a few seconds before he let his magic search for the tiny killers he knew were spreading out in Rhys' veins. There they were! An eerie shiver travelled up his spine. Merlin hated the metallic, empty feeling of them. It seemed his magic did too, for it lashed out in bright golden swirls against it and Merlin was happy to let it.

Sadly for every bit of healing his magic offered Rhys the tiny killers seemed to fight back against it. Merlin's heart sank at the realisation that this was a different virus he was dealing with. Where the cells within Ianto seemed to attack every part of his blood the ones within Rhys were only after his red blood cells. Merlin wondered if there was a different purpose this time around. It didn't matter though, because one way or another he had to heal Rhys. Pulling every bit of his concentration together Merlin called upon his magic with a healing spell, "Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare."

Still nothing! Swallowing back his frustration at the lack of success Merlin opened his eyes, "I am so sorry Gwen… I can't help him."

A silent "no" fell from her lips when she kneeled at her husband's side. Tears spilled from her eyes while Merlin allowed Gwaine to haul him to his feet. "Merlin?" The concerned voice was accompanied by a worried glance to Rhys' still form.

"My magic, it isn't enough anymore… I…"

His confession fell short when the sound of Gwen's mobile phone filled the room. "Jack? Oh hello, Arthur. What is happening? Where are you?" Merlin stared in shock at the to the point way she answered the call. The mentioning of Arthur's name had him on edge. What was going on? He listened while Gwen continued, "Yes, of course I know where that is. Stay where you are. We are on our way over."

* * *

Arthur didn't like where this was going. One moment they were following Jack's orders to spread out and find a way to approach the uniformed woman unseen. The next Ianto was staring down the wrong end of a futuristic weapon, and they hadn't even left the bay area yet. Pale eyes framed by blonde locks stared the Welsh man down, "Surrender, or die". So she did speak English after all, or was it the cube helping her translate? Arthur thought her voice sounded a bit metallic.

"Let him go", Jack confronted her, gun in hand. While Arthur understood Jack's eager to tip the odds in their favour he couldn't help but feel it was the wrong move. Upon Jack's hand signal though he stayed put where he was, hidden behind a car stranded in the middle of the road. Like all other cars it was unable to move on with the driver struck unconscious by the scan. Arthur grabbed his mobile phone from his pocket and called Gwen. While telling her what was going on and where he was in a hushed voice he kept his eyes on the scene unfolding in front of him.

Unfortunately neither Zoganian seemed impressed by Jack's move. In fact the woman sneered, "Your kind are no match for us". Her eyes fell upon the silent form of a family lying unconscious on the ground. Arthur followed her line of sight. Their faces were far too pale for his liking. Minus five degrees Celsius was not a comfortable temperature for them, in spite of their wintercoats, gloves and scarves.

Of course Jack had to answer back with a slight taunt in his voice, "Can't we at least talk before you shoot my boyfriend for no reason?" Her smirk was the only warning they got. In a brisk move she pointed her weapon at Jack and fired it. A huge ball of energy hit Jack full in his chest. The impact sent him flying for several feet and to Arthur's shock the captain landed on his back in the large water basin by the side of the road.

Arthur held his breath, while he waited for Jack to resurface, but to his further shock the only movement was the spray of water coming from the fountains. Seconds passed and Arthur knew he had to act fast, or Jack would drown. Even though he was told Jack would always rise again, he just couldn't accept that he was lost now in this moment. Immortality was a hard thing to grasp… even with Merlin as a close friend.

Sneaking forward through the snow Arthur kept his eyes on both Zoganians. The male companion had hardly moved, but he had no doubt that the man would shout a warning if he passed him. Silence was his best friend and so he raised his sword, ready to attack. When he was close enough he swung it at his unaware target. The man crumpled to the ground without a sound. Satisfied, but still on high alert and as silent as possible Arthur crept on.

Before Arthur could reach their side the woman grabbed Ianto in an overpowering choke hold. In a matter of seconds the Welshman was at the side of the water basin too, even while he struggled to get free. Sadly the Zoganians seemed to be far stronger than humans. Arthur's heart sank when she threatened Ianto, "You should not be awake, and so you will join your friend in death."

A loud splash accompanied the follow up on her promise and Ianto disappeared in the shallow water. Her hand disappeared in a uniform pocket and when she pulled it out again there was small version of a cube, no larger than an inch wide and high, in her hands. By then Arthur reached her side, mercifully still unseen.

Without hesitation he plunged his sword deep into her back, the move enough to kill her on the spot. To his horror though he was but a fraction of a second too late. The small cube fell from her hand and it splashed into the basin. Before Arthur could react the entire body of water was frozen over, with Ianto and Jack lost beneath the ice. His heart dropped when he touched the ice and found it unyielding and cold beneath his hands. How would he ever get them out alive?


	26. CAI: Chapter four

**Chapter four**

The moment Ianto tumbled with force into the water his head hit the concrete bottom of the basin. He let out a shout and regretted it the moment he did. Water poured into his throat and he spluttered in a useless attempt to get it out again so that he could breathe. His head pounded like a jackhammer from the hard impact. Ianto felt disorientated and dizzy, but he tried to fight it and stay awake. A flash of dark blue off to his side reminded him that Jack was probably far worse off by now.

Soaked to the bone and with his wintercoat heavy around him Ianto tried to make his way over to his lover, but all of his senses numbed down instead. None of his limbs seemed to listen to his brain anymore. Such shallow water, so all he had to do was stand up and there was air, but it just wasn't happening. If he didn't know any better then he would think it was freezing over at an impossible speed and he never stood a chance.

Cold… it was so cold. He could not even move an inch. This was it, he was dying next to Jack, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. Another Torchwood member was to die far before his time. At least Jack would be able to walk away. The thought offered Ianto more comfort than it ought to. If anything Jack would avenge him and that made him smile to himself.

If only he could magically warm up again though. His brain flashed to the day Merlin healed him from the cold virus of the cube. Nothing in his life had ever felt so infinitely good and warm at once. It had been like a dream when he saw the golden swirls of the magic pulsing from Merlin's being. Nothing ever felt like it before, or since.

Ianto believed he was dreaming when in the ice around them he saw them appear again. Two soft traces of gold light began to pulse in tune to his slower beating heart around him. They touched the ice and protected him from the cold. This was wishful thinking for sure, or had Merlin come to his rescue for a second time? Whatever it was Ianto decided to hang on to the powerful flutter of warm sensations he felt spreading out into his veins…

* * *

The sight awaiting him at the end of the Lloyd George Avenue leading to Cardiff Bay would stay with Merlin forever. Arthur's face was etched with worry and panic while he hacked away at the ice covering the fountain basin with Excalibur. For a moment Arthur stopped to catch his breath. It was then that Merlin locked eyes with his friend and saw the frustration he could not conceal within. "Merlin…", the desperate edge to his name was palpable, even though Arthur tried to rein in his emotions. "Help them… please?"

At first it made no sense to him Arthur pointed at the ice below his feet, but when Merlin came closer and closer he realised that the dark spots underneath the frozen surface were shaped in the form of humans. "Jack and Ianto?" He asked for confirmation, sadness sinking to the pit of his stomach when Arthur merely nodded.

"No!", Gwen's half whispered cry of despair broke Merlin's heart. Her eyes filled with tears of anger and sadness, while she stared at the ice with a heartbreak Merlin could only understand too well. At once Gwaine pulled her close to offer her some comfort and to give Merlin the space to step onto the ice filled basin.

Merlin dropped to his knees next to Arthur and looked at their friends' frozen forms below them. Swallowing back his emotions Merlin asked, "Jack will wake again even if he drowned… won't he?"

Gwen, who let go of Gwaine, answered him with a firm nod and a sad smile. Merlin saw her wipe the tears from her face with her sleeve in an effort to pull herself together. "But what about Ianto? He's…"

Unable to admit defeat for a second time in one day Merlin stayed silent. Instead he looked up to meet Arthur's eyes. "Stay there and you will get wet", Merlin offered Arthur a chance to step off the ice.

"So will you", came the dry reply. It was followed by a wry smile. A look of understanding passed between them about Ianto, but neither wished to give it voice. Merlin knew that Arthur didn't need words to understand the gravity of the situation. Ianto was already gone and it broke their hearts.

Knowing that there was only one thing left he could do Merlin placed his hands on the frozen surface and focussed his magic towards it. The solid ice needed to turn back into water. Not knowing a spell for doing so Merlin decided to keep the command short and simple. Elemental magic always worked better this way, "Ísmere gemiltan." Even before he opened his eyes he knew it had worked. Arthur's sharp intake of breath and his own yelp at the wetness of the cold water seeping into their jeans was enough.

Unexpected splashing on his left side made Merlin turn his head. To his astonishment Ianto's head surfaced above the water. Ianto gulped in a desperate breath of air and his eyes shot open, with an unexpected shimmer of gold shining out into the world. "What was that?!" His unsteady voice called out in shock.

Merlin stared back at Ianto, not knowing how to react to what he saw. The glow of magic faded away the instant he met the other man's eyes. Had it even been there to begin with? He was about to ask how it was possible when Ianto shivered violently while his teeth started chattering. Merlin knew that hypothermia was becoming a serious risk and so he needed to get Ianto to a warm, dry place. In a few strides he waded over to Ianto's side. "I've got you. Let's get you back to the Hub."

"Wha… what about Jack?" Ianto chattered between his shivering.

The answering deep intake of breath behind them was enough of an answer. "I am right here", Jack said while Arthur pulled him up to his feet. In a blur of ungracious movement and several splashes of water he hurried to their side.

While Merlin stepped back to let the two lovers hug he noticed how Arthur's alert eyes turned to somewhere in the distance. Merlin followed his line of sight and then realised what was happening around them. "Zoganians!" Arthur hissed, "They are headed this way. We need to run, or they will spot us."

* * *

The six made it down to the Hub in a hurry. Along the way Merlin kept glancing back to mutter words Jack did not understand. He smiled though when he saw what the result was of them. Snow swept across the footprints they left behind, making them vanish as if they had never even been there.

Jack listened to Arthur explain what happened while he died face down in the water, which unexpectedly turned to ice in mere seconds. His heart skipped a beat when he heard Ianto came far too close in joining in the same fate. Jack then realised it was impossible for his lover to even be alive where he himself had died under the ice. Arthur seemed equally as unsure as to what happened, but something in Merlin's ancient eyes told him a different story. Merlin knew why! Jack waited until the huge round door of the headquarters rolled shut behind him, "What the hell just happened out there?"

No answer was forthcoming. Instead the doctor in Merlin stepped up to take charge and worried Jack accepted that he had to let him. "Grab as many blankets as you can find. We need some dry clothes for all of us and Gwen, can you make us all tea?" Jack watched as Gwen and Gwaine rushed off further into the Hub to do as told. Then he followed Merlin, who rushed Ianto into the infirmary.

Between the two of them they helped Ianto out of the wet clothes. For once Jack was annoyed at the way his lover dressed. Taking off a wet three piece suit with numb fingers was a challenge of its own, one Jack wished to never face again. Soon enough though they had Ianto down to his boxers and t-shirt, and they wrapped him up in blankets. By then Jack shivered, for his soaked clothes were making him feel the cold too. In his hurry to help Ianto he'd forgotten his own predicament. Smiling wryly to Merlin and Arthur, who started to shiver as well, he said, "Our turn next I suppose."

After a change of clothes they all gathered in the infirmary. Jack was happy to feel a more normal temperature return to his extremities. Returning from death always drained him to the bone and this time had been no different. However he knew that there was no time to rest just yet, so he ignored how exhausted he felt and put on his best no nonsense face. Sipping from the tea Gwen had brewed for them all he repeated his earlier question, "So what happened out there? I mean… not that I am not happy, far from it in fact. But Ianto by all means, shouldn't you be dead?"

* * *

"I… I don't know, should I?" In the aftermath of his involuntary dip in the icy waters Ianto felt confused. He honestly believed that it was Merlin, who rescued him, but the man's quietness made him wonder. When finally Merlin nodded Ianto was shocked, "So you didn't come to help me? Then what… how did I…" Unable to process the thought he trailed off and stared at Merlin for answers.

The warlock's eyes were filled with the same confusion Ianto felt. It seemed Merlin had no answers yet either. Ianto tried to remember what happened while he was under and what he'd seen in the ice. The golden swirls of magic; where had they come from if they were no part of Merlin? Ianto was sure he felt they came from a source nearby. They were so vibrant and alive, as if they were fighting for his life. Once more he looked Merlin in the eyes for answers, but he found his questions were still reflected there.

The flutter of warmth in his veins had felt so thrilling. It was slightly different to the time when Merlin saved his life, as if less strong, but still it was magic all the same… right? It had to be. Hang on a minute! How could magic run in his veins when no one could even touch him below the ice? If it did not belong to someone else then it must surely be…

No, it couldn't be. If magic was a part of him then he would know, wouldn't he? Ianto was about to dismiss the thought when he remembered something from his childhood; a bonfire night when he was only seven years old. His father had warned him over and over again about getting too close to the fire. Of course like all young boys Ianto had felt invincible and he was unable to resist the lure of the flames.

Ianto remembered how they had played close to the fire and then someone had tripped him by accident. His arms had flailed in his effort to stay upright, but he'd been unable to stop himself from falling into the hot flames. One rush of movement came next when he got pulled back to safety by his angered and no doubt shocked father. His clothes had burned, but somehow not a single flame had marked his skin or even touched it. When they'd gotten home his mother had scolded him with tears of relief in her eyes.

Looking back at that moment Ianto wondered if what his mother deemed a miracle had actually something to do with magic. What if there was something he did himself? Could it be that he had a gift too? There seemed to be no other logical explanation for how he survived today, at least not one Ianto could come up with and believe in.

The slow realisation of his truth must have dawned in Ianto's eyes, because Merlin chose the next breath to nod his slow encouragement. Ianto had a feeling that the warlock was only waiting for him to ask the question so he could answer. Gathering his courage Ianto found he was at last ready to ask, "So the magic I felt… it was all my own?"

Merlin's smile widened, "I believe so…"


	27. CAI: Chapter five

**Chapter five**

Up in the spaceship mission leader Zasha reported back to her empress. She hated to be the one to tell Zamira how one of her away team was killed. Failure was not an option in her eyes, but there it was. For some unprecedented reason a small group of weaklings seemed to have escaped the scan. She'd seen them flee, but when they reached the water's edge the men had disappeared altogether. Where had they gone off too? She did not know, and to be forced to admit it angered her.

Empress Zamira stared at her, as if not believing that one of her best soldiers had failed her mission. "How was your soldier killed?"

Zasha avoided the cold in the green eyes when she answered, "With a very primitive blade, according to the healer. They plunged it deep into her back and it pushed up into her heart, causing her to bleed out on the spot. They must have caught her unaware. Strange, since none of us expected any human to be awake…"

Her voice trailed off when the empress snarled, "That is no excuse and you know it. Your soldier made an error, which should not have happened."

Zasha nodded her agreement. They were all trained to be the superior race, so no weakling should ever have been allowed the opportunity. "The rest of us have been successful though, Empress. We have brought back nine specimens for our research."

"Good", Zamira nodded before she ordered, "Leave them to the healer and her helpers. I want you to take your team back to the surface to hunt down these awake ones. Bring them to justice, but make sure one stays alive to be taken up for interrogation. We need to understand how they avoided their fate."

Zasha bowed to show she accepted the order without question. In assured strides she walked out of the control room to tend to her duty.

* * *

The new truth lingered in the air of the infirmary. There were so many questions to ask, but no one knew where to begin, least of all Ianto. Merlin knew from experience that it would take the younger man some time to get used to the idea. It wasn't the first time he had witnessed someone discover they had a gift. All too well he remembered how shaken Morgana had been when she learned her dreams were more than just dreams. Even now after all this time he felt a twinge of regret at being unable to help her. He swallowed it away though, because he knew that he could not change the past. All he could do was help Ianto to understand this part of him, which had somehow remained dormant for so long.

"We'll deal with this later. Come on people, we need to get back to work", Jack stated what they all knew had to be. Merlin saw him rise to his feet with a sigh. "Shame we never got our hands on the transport technology…"

To everyone's surprise Arthur started to grin. Merlin caught the smug twinkle in blue eyes before Arthur said, "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that, Captain." He rummaged through the pockets of his coat, which hung out to dry, and one by one revealed three alien looking pieces of technology.

Merlin smiled at the way Jack's eyes widened before he clapped Arthur on the shoulder. "Oh yes, now we are getting somewhere."

Merlin watched as Jack handed the devices over to an eager looking Gwen and Ianto. "Find out how these work, but be careful. We don't need something else to freeze over."

A look of understanding passed between Jack and Ianto before the latter walked out of the door to head to the main area, followed by Gwen, Arthur and Gwaine. "You need a hand? We could…"

Merlin tuned out on their chatter while he grabbed his coat to take out the vials of blood samples he'd taken from Rhys. Turning around to follow the others into the Hub to start his research Merlin found Jack standing behind him, his face as unreadable as ever. "What?"

"No one told me what happened at Gwen's house. Were you able to help Rhys?"

Merlin shook his head with sadness. "No, I couldn't and I'm sad to say we had to leave him behind. Something about this virus seems to be different to the one before, even though it kind of feels the same. I need to investigate these samples to learn more."

They walked to the small med bay in the centre of the Hub together. Merlin was unsure as to why Jack followed him there and he decided to ignore him for now, so he could get to work. The silence between them remained while Merlin switched on the computers and he grabbed a few tools. Soon he was staring at the samples through a microscope before he scanned them with one of Owen's gadgets. By then Jack walked off, obviously lost in thought about recent events. Merlin couldn't blame him, because his own mind went down the same route on every other thought. Even while he was working it ventured out to all the possibilities where Ianto's gift had come from.

While waiting for the computer to spit out the results of the scans Merlin let his thoughts go back to the moment he'd realised Ianto had saved himself. If he was right then Ianto was gifted with elemental magic, which was the most instinctual and natural kind there was. With this kind of power a person could manipulate fire, water, earth and air up to an extend. Merlin himself was born with it and he recalled how he could use it without spells even before coming to Camelot. Gaius had been stunned by the power of it at first and then he'd taught Merlin to control it over time. It seemed it was his turn to teach now.

Frowning at the results popping up on the computer screen Merlin instantly realised why this virus seemed different and yet in all likelihood really wasn't. Magic! Even eight months ago Ianto must have been able to use magic, right? If so… then it could be the virus mutated inside of both Ianto and him because of their magic. It could explain a lot of things, like why they were able to open their eyes for a while when everyone else in the world appeared unable to wake up from the moment they were hit by the scan.

Merlin pulled up Ianto's medical file and he started comparing the scans Martha made when Ianto was ill with the ones of the blood samples of Rhys. There were a few obvious differences, but also many startling similarities, which seemed to further confirm his theory. Even though he was excited about his findings Merlin knew that he needed to make sure, because there was no room for doubt. If only he knew where to get a blood sample of someone who he knew had magic and who was felled by the current virus…

Grinning Merlin realised where he needed to go. "Got an errand to run. Be right back", he shouted out into the Hub. Five startled faces turned his way before he closed his eyes, concentrated on the thrum of magic and disappeared from sight.

"Merlin!" He never heard Arthur shout out his name in surprise and annoyance.

He also failed to see Gwaine roll his eyes and mutter, "Typical…"

* * *

It felt as if his mind was trapped in a metal cage, unable to reach out to others. For his entire adult life Gary had always been able to sense spirits and others gifted with magic around him. Now suddenly the bright blue light had taken everything away from him and he was scared at how rapid his body was falling into darkness. Was this what Merlin and Jack had warned him for? Had Albion's hour of need fallen upon them all?

Gary closed his right hand even tighter around the small silver triskelion necklace he wore. "Emrys…" The single thought left on his foggy mind travelled from his cottage in the middle of Wales to all the way south in Cardiff, where Merlin concentrated and picked up on his desperate whisper.

From the distance Gary heard the front door open, but his slow fading mind did not understand what it meant. Footsteps preceded the touch of gentle hands and a sharp pinprick in his arm. Had someone come to help? His whimper met with words, which seemed English even though he could make no sense of them.

"Helpwch fi. Ymladd ar gyfer eich bywyd." Emrys' spoken plea in Welsh cut through the haze of his brain. Strange how his native Welsh language made more sense to Gary than English. His ancestors would be proud.

The sudden thrill of the most powerful magic he'd ever felt touched his mind and lifted the hold the virus had on it. Eager to grab onto the lifeline Gary reached out with his own gift and in a rush he felt his life return to him. In awed surprise he opened his eyes to blink into the face of the man who had saved him, "Thank you."

Gary was amused when other man jumped to his feet. Wild recognition shone on his face when Emrys said, "Ha. I knew it! Your magic mutated the virus and it allowed me to help you. All I need to do is find an alternative and we have a cure… hmm."

While he rose onto his feet too Gary commented dryly, "Maybe if you started at the beginning I would actually know what you're talking about." A lopsided grin was his only apology. Then in a waterfall of words Emrys explained how a race of aliens called Zoganians were in the middle of invading the world and how they used metal cubes to put everyone to a deep sleep, with a cold virus running in their veins.

Worried Gary turned around and he ran into the kitchen, where he knew his wife and two of his visiting adult sons to be. The sight of them all slumped in their seats and sound asleep made him stop dead in his tracks. Emrys came up behind him to say, "If they have magic you can wake them, if not then they will stay unconscious… "

"My oldest son has inherited the gift…", Gary faltered for a moment when he understood the true meaning of Emrys' words. "They struck the entire world?" The sad nod was all the answer Gary needed to become determined. "Then we need to help them. There are doctors and powerful healers among my tribe. Let us help you."

Emrys nodded his acceptance. "I was hoping you'd say that. Torchwood needs my help with the aliens. You and your druids must wake up everyone with magic. Can you focus on finding a cure for this alien virus while we focus on the spaceships?"

"We'd be honoured to." Gary said as he accepted the items Emrys held out to him with an inclination of his head.

"The vial marked with the blue label is your blood. The other one is of a man without magic. On the memory stick you will find the results of the scans I did", Emrys instructed.

Gary nodded before he took off his necklace and handed it to the warlock with a kind smile. "The triskelion will protect you. Keep in touch… and be careful."

"You too, and please tell everyone who is awake to stay far out of sight and hide some place safe", Emrys said as he put the necklace around his neck. For a moment it seemed he was to walk off, but instead he closed his eyes and disappeared right from where he stood. Gary shook his head at the whirlwind that was Emrys before he turned around towards his son to start waking up his tribe.

* * *

Gwaine stared out of the window in Jack's office. He needed a break from Arthur, Jack and Gwen arguing about the purpose of the three devices stolen from the Zoganian soldier. Ianto had fled from the heated discussion as well. One look of conspiracy shared between them and they had made a beeline for the silence of the office.

"I've brought you some coffee. Two large scoops of sugar, just the way you like it", Ianto said from behind him.

Gwaine turned and accepted the offered hot mug. "Hmm. You've read my mind", he sighed as he sniffed up the welcome aroma.

"So how long are we giving Merlin?" Ianto asked while he took a sip from his coffee.

Gwaine shrugged, "Not long I should think…" The blissful silence returned to the office room while they enjoyed their coffees. Gwaine could not help but wonder where Merlin had gone off to. In the past his friend would have paid a visit to Gaius before they went on any sort of quest. Looking back at it now, full well knowing that Merlin had magic, Gwaine was not surprised there had been times when he walked into their chambers and they stopped talking abruptly. Talking about magic and spells right under Uther's eyes? The two had been brave for sure!

But now with Gaius long gone who did Merlin turn to for answers to his questions? How much had he learned in all the centuries he lived on by himself? Gwaine had a feeling his friend's knowledge reached far beyond Gaius' ever did. Even so, in spite of this Merlin had gone off somewhere to find answers… but where to? Gwaine prayed where ever his friend went there were no Zoganian eyes watching along.

In the corner of his eyes Gwaine saw Ianto shiver, "Are you cold?" When the younger man didn't answer him Gwaine put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. Startled Ianto turned his head to meet him and unguarded blue eyes stared into his. For a moment Gwaine was stunned by the lost look inside.

"I don't know who I am anymore…" Ianto's soft admission surprised them both.

"You are still you, and always will be too. Magic is nothing to be scared of. Just embrace it and you will find it hard to ever live without it again. You have inherited this gift from a long line of ancestors, so be proud instead of afraid." Merlin's unexpected advice came from behind where they stood side by side.

Gwaine's worries evaporated at the sound. He turned around to greet Merlin and sped forwards just in time to stop his friend from stumbling against the desk. "Merlin?" He wasted no breath to offer his strength, while worry once more gnawed at his mind. "Please will you talk now? What is happening?"

Stormy blue eyes looked into his with sadness. "The power of my magic is fading, Gwaine. Ever since Camelot… ever since the cube scanned me, it isn't burning as bright inside as it did before. All these centuries and now when we need it most I am losing it…"

Gwaine pulled Merlin close and said firmly, "No, I refuse to believe it. Look at what you did today. Ianto is alive because of you. He did not thaw the ice, you did. You are just being too hard on yourself. Have been ever since we came to this time. Talk, my friend, and remember that you are no longer alone. Please, just let us help."

To his relief Merlin nodded, "Ianto, call the others up to the boardroom. It's time we put all of our brains together and come up with a proper plan."

* * *

Note: The google translation for "Helpwch fi. Ymladd ar gyfer eich bywyd" is "Help me. Fight for your life."


	28. CAI: Chapter six

**Chapter six**

Merlin paced the boardroom while he waited for the team to join Gwaine and him. He was only just fitting the pieces together into something which made sense, but his friend was right. The time had come for him to share, because he could not do this alone. One glance over at the cctv screen at the end of the room showed him the arrival of even more Zoganian soldiers in the snow covered bay. It made it all the more clear to Merlin that they were running out of time faster than he'd expected. The Zoganians knew the six of them were awake and, if their search pattern was anything to go by, they clearly were on a hunt for them. Going back up to the surface sure was going to be tricky.

"Merlin, good to have you back. What have you found?" Like always Arthur was ready to get to the point.

Merlin smiled to his friend and said, "Sit down and you will find out." Gwen and Ianto who were on Arthur's heals both smiled and followed his instructions with clear curiosity shining in their eyes.

Jack on the other hand stayed on his feet and walked in with a frown. "That wasn't teamwork. What were you thinking?"

With a shrug Merlin offered, "Force of habit, sorry. Too long on my own I guess." There was an instant wince in Jack's manners, too short for others to notice, but Merlin recognized it for what it was. Jack too had spent life alone for many years, if not decades or even centuries. "Will you please sit down, and let me explain?" After a moment of hesitation Jack sat down.

"Facts first. The current virus forced upon every person on Earth is the same one as before. Ianto and I only walked away from it because of our magic. The power running in our veins connected with these tiny metal cells and it affected them in an important way. All we both needed was a push from an outsider. In Ianto's case it took my healing spell and in my case Jack's endless amount of life energy did the trick. To make sure my findings were correct I visited our druid friend Gary Roberts, and I was able to help him wake up."

"What does this mean for Rhys?" Gwen's voice was laced with understandable worry for her husband.

"So far there is no cure for anyone without magic, but as we speak Gary is waking up every single healer and doctor in his tribe. I gave them our spare samples to work with."

Merlin saw how Jack's eyes narrowed and after the eight weeks of working for Torchwood he sensed that questions were coming his way. Wasting no breath he beat the man to it, "No offense to any of the victims, but the six of us have other important matters to deal with. Trust me, I have left my research in safe hands. Gary has a wife and a son who do not have magic. He can't wake them up, so he has every incentive to find a cure."

"Now while magic may appear to be a weapon in this invasion I feel it is also in danger of it. Ever since the cubes landed I have sensed an uneasy change within me." Merlin saw Gwaine shake his head in disbelief again, but this time he did not let it deter him. "There is a place on this Earth, hidden in the shadows, where magic is born. From there it has spread out into the world and into every person who inherited the gift. In the golden age this place flourished, but time and superstition made it retreat into a shadow of itself. What is left of it is protected by one immortal soul, being me."

Five pairs of eyes watched him with intent. Merlin took a calming breath to rein in his fears of sharing what he felt was the most precious part of life on Earth. "Ever since my first visit there I have felt connected to it, but over the last few weeks or so I need to concentrate to actually feel its presence where before it was like a constant hum somewhere in the back of my mind…" Exhausted Merlin sat down. "We need to rid ourselves of these aliens, and sooner rather than later, or every person gifted with magic loses a part of themselves."

* * *

Jack listened to Merlin with growing concern. He didn't know much about magic, but to think it could be lost altogether angered and upset him. The Earth was filled with all sorts of wondrous things and no alien had the right to take it away from humanity, nor did they have to kill all of them. The Zoganians were a formidable force to deal with; this much was clear to him. If Earth wanted to stand a chance against the invasion then they had to find a proper advantage.

Maybe the answer was with the devices Arthur stole from the dead soldier's body. Jack grinned to himself at the way the former King stood his ground when he brought his legendary sword along. At the time he'd just humoured the man, but it seemed once more in his short Torchwood career Arthur had proven to be quite the strategist.

When silence returned to the room Jack knew it was up to him to take charge and to find some way to spur his team back to more positive thoughts. "Oh, we will send them home, no matter how long it takes", Jack said in his best no nonsense voice. For a moment he let his words linger while he locked eyes with every single one of his team members. Only Ianto and Gwen sat up straighter and smiled to him, once more placing their trust in his hands. The other three stayed silent, as if they needed more incentive. Well, Jack was more than ready to give it to them.

"Gwen, tell me about these devices. Did you figure them out and can we use them to fight back?"

He was happy to see her smile before she answered. "Well, we can with the energy weapon." Gwen had picked up the largest of the tree items, one which Jack recognized all too well. It was the same damned weapon used against him when he tried to protect Ianto and failed so miserably.

"From what Arthur could see from afar we know this black button here is the trigger. We found a chamber with ammunition inside. It is almost fully loaded, so there are about a dozen more charges left." With a simple move of her hand she opened the chamber and took out one small silver ball. A strange red glow shone from it. "We think it is actually a small ball of energy, which explodes when it hits its target."

Jack nodded and grinned, "From personal experience I'd say you're right."

While she put back the bullet and laid down the weapon with care Arthur added, "It is also why you blew back several feet from the impact." Jack nodded as he saw Arthur pick up the small cube device between two fingers, as if he was afraid to even touch it. "This device is what froze over the water basin within the blink of an eye. Even the soldier picked it up by the corners like I am doing now. The scans showed there are panels of buttons hidden on each side, so there are definitely various purposes for it. What they all are though… well, let's say we agree to disagree on this so far."

Jack nodded, remembering the conversation he had with the two about it. It ended in an argument for they each looked at it from a different angle. He still decided to stick to his own idea that it was most likely a weapon. Gwen's conclusion about it being a device with six options seemed too limited to him and Arthur's suggestion it might be able to manipulate the elements was a little too farfetched to him.

"Please tell me that the last one is the transporting device?" Arthur's wide smile was all the answer he needed. "Good, do we know how it works yet?"

Jack was not too pleased when Gwen shook her head. "Not really. We didn't dare touch the buttons without knowing which ones to avoid. What if we end up beaming up onto the ship with no way back?"

"Then I must be the one to try", Merlin's voice while calm sounded weary and far too sombre still to Jack.

"Not alone, you won't", Jack only just beat Arthur to it. "We need to operate as a team from now on. I say we go back out there and steal some more of these devices and weapons from these soldiers out there looking for us. At least now we know the challenges we are facing."

Finally Jack had the attention of everyone in the boardroom. Arthur nodded to his two friends before he rose onto his feet and put his sword on the table. "Excalibur is our final advantage. It is the most quiet weapon and seems foreign to these soldiers. So you need both Gwaine and me at your side."

Jack accepted the strategic offer with a nod. "The three of us will go out there. Gwen can watch our backs from up here and guide us through the streets via our earpieces. In the meanwhile I think Merlin and Ianto need to work on our other advantage, magic."

He faced Merlin and found to his relief that he was met with newfound strength. "I will teach Ianto as much as I can until you return."

With the meeting over Jack walked out of the room with a straight back. As the team leader he would ooze confidence, no matter how much he feared for all of their lives.

* * *

Arthur was the last to leave the room before Ianto and Merlin. He grabbed the latter's shoulder in silent support for a moment. "After all of this is over the three of us will travel to the Valley of the Fallen Kings, so you can visit the centre of magic and check all is alright", Arthur's whispered words were met with a look of barely concealed emotions and a touch of raw fear. "Don't worry, old friend. Your secret is safe with Gwaine and me." He kept Merlin's eyes and waited for his quiet understanding. With relief Arthur saw him nod before he got pulled into a hug.

It was one of the good things of being true equals Arthur realised. These days he did not have to keep up his royal status and pretend to be above his former servant. He could just allow a hug and not be embarrassed to say that he needed it as much as Merlin did. The thought made him smile. Reluctant, but determined he let go of Merlin. "We will return soon, be ready for us. And the two of you? You'd better not blow up the Hub in our absence." His joke met with grins from both men. With a nod Arthur grabbed Excalibur and he walked out of the boardroom to join Jack and Gwaine on their way out.

Arthur headed over to his desk, rummaged in a bag he left underneath it a few days ago and pulled out the package he sought. "I know your birthday is a month away, but Gwaine, you need this now." Like an eager child on Christmas morning his friend unwrapped it and then he opened the narrow, long box Arthur had put the present in. Stunned to silence Gwaine revealed the new-made sword lying inside it with a smile, which grew wider as the next few seconds passed by.

"A knight should never be without one", Arthur said while Gwaine trailed his hands along the inscription on the blade. "Merlin promised me that these druid runes say: Sir Gwaine, knight of Camelot".

Gwaine clasped his wrist in a firm hold, emotions spilling to the surface and rendering him speechless at once. Words were not needed between them though, because it was clear to Arthur how much it meant to the both of them to be able to say that they were still brothers in arms. Arthur had seen the doubt in Gwaine's eyes ever since they came to this time and no matter what Merlin or he had said the memory of the events leading to his death always lingered. Maybe now Gwaine would finally accept that to his former King he would always be his bravest knight, and also that he had not even for one second doubted his loyalty. Locking eyes with his friend Arthur nodded to let him know the unspoken words were heard and accepted.

Jack unintentionally interrupted the moment between the two friends to hand them their earpieces. "I know time is not on our side, but we can't take unnecessary risks out there. Keep the lines open at all times and listen to Gwen's instructions."

Arthur accepted his bluetooth with a nod, "Captain, I know you're in charge and on any other mission when it comes to aliens I'd be happy to let you, but for this one I must insist on taking the lead. I have far more experience in swordfights."

Blue eyes narrowed at his words for a moment before Jack scoffed and said with a wink, "A handsome man in charge? I can live with that."

"Well then, don't let me disappoint you. Outside now, or I will have your heads." With a mock look of utter seriousness Arthur pushed the button to open the huge round door. He waited until it had rolled out of the way and with a wink to Gwen he stepped through the opened hallway beyond it. After she confirmed the coast was clear Arthur led his two friends out into the snow.

* * *

Silence returned to the boardroom. For a moment Ianto did not know what to say. On the one hand he was eager to learn more about magic, but on the other hand he still felt apprehensive about the fact that he could even have a gift for it himself. Shy under his emotions he smiled to Merlin before he dared to ask the one thing he'd been wondering about all along. "So… my magic, why me? You said I've inherited it, but how and from who? I had never seen any magic in my life until the day I met you at Glastonbury."

Merlin offered a wry smile first. "I have been thinking about it and I may have an idea where you got it from. Can you keep this between the two of us for now, at least until I am sure and we've found some evidence to support my theory?" Ianto could only nod, for more than anything he wanted to understand it all. "Let me ask you something first. Was there a Meical Jones about a hundred years ago on your father's side?"

With a shrug Ianto had to admit to Merlin that he never looked into the past of his family, but he knew stories. One said his great grandfather went missing in action during the Great War, not long after his marriage, and he was never heard from since. There wasn't even a grave left to visit.

"… And for that I am deeply sorry." Merlin's sad, soft voice made no sense to Ianto at first, but then Merlin continued, "I wish there had been another way, but with what I had seen… I just couldn't go back to Wales and pretend that everything was alright. Of all the battles I have witnessed in my life, none were as bad as the Somme. Even now I can still recall every friend I lost and all the things I have seen while I was there."

Ianto stared at Merlin in shock. "Are you saying that you are the ancestor who passed magic onto me?" A quiet shrug was the only answer before silence fell back into the room. Ianto could see the pain of a time long gone linger in Merlin's eyes. All the questions on his mind… to think that there were answers for them all and yet could he put Merlin through the bad memories again? No, Ianto decided, there were far more important things to deal with first.

"So back to saving the world again, yeah?" He offered Merlin an excuse to move beyond the dark memories.

With a lopsided smile Merlin accepted his offer before he pulled his chair closer and asked Ianto to close his eyes. "Let all other thoughts go and concentrate on how it felt earlier today when you used the magic inside of you."

"It was warm, golden and bright", Ianto whispered more to himself than anything. With his eyes closed he could not see Merlin smile at his words.

"Feel it again. Feel the magic run in your veins. Then I want you to think of fire. Think of its warmth and the way it needs oxygen to breathe. Do you see it?"

Ianto let the deep voice guide him through his memory of the near drowning under the ice. He felt the fear, but swallowed it back down. Safe, he was safe in the boardroom of the Hub. Slowly the strange flutter in his veins returned. Now that he knew it was magic and part of himself he knew he should not fear it. He grinned when he realised how beautiful a gift it truly was. It had saved his life and could do so much more, if only he dared to let it flow.

Flames came to his mind from a fire of a time he'd almost forgotten. His father had done more than rescue his son, for he had controlled the flames. Ianto could see it clear in his mind now. "Yes, I can see the fire", he answered Merlin. Fingers grabbed his hand as if from the distance.

"When you are ready open your hand with your palm upwards. Say the word 'forbearnan' when you believe you can light a flame."

Ianto nodded without even being aware he did so. A long second passed before he deemed himself ready for it, "Forbearnan."

"Open your eyes, but do not let go of the thought."

After a long breath Ianto braved a glance to find a small flame dance on the palm of his hands. In his disbelief and shock at the sight he let go of the spell. While the gold in his eyes died and the flame on his palm faded away he smiled to Merlin in gratitude of what they shared. "I actually did it. Thank you…"


	29. CAI: Chapter seven

**Chapter seven**

Gwen sat down behind the computer with a mug full of the strongest coffee the machine was capable of making. The team needed her to be on the lookout for the whereabouts of the Zoganian soldiers. Everything about the mission Jack, Arthur and Gwaine were on screamed danger to her. Was it wise to attack the soldiers? Perhaps not, but Gwen agreed with Jack on the fact that they needed every bit of advantage they could get their hands on. If this was the way… then it needed to be done.

Eyes firm on the cctv screens Gwen followed the progress of the three men. Even from the Hub she could see in every move Arthur made that he had experience in these kinds of stealth missions. A few weeks back, during a boring day at Torchwood, he had talked about how he used to hunt and how Merlin always seemed too clumsy about it. Everyone had laughed at the face Arthur pulled when Merlin admitted he just couldn't bear it for animals to be killed in the name of fun.

Hunting was barbaric, Gwen had agreed with Merlin on the matter. But while she'd talked to Arthur she had come to see how back in the days of Camelot people lived far different then nowadays. There had not been the awareness yet of how some animals became extinct, like there was today. Nor had there been superstores and late night pizza deliveries. If men had not hunted, or grown crops, their families went to bed hungry. Life had been just that simple… and that harsh at once.

Today she saw from the Hub how Arthur's hunting skills gave Torchwood the edge over the Zoganians. Fighting with Gwaine at his side he barely needed her guidance, or Jack and his gun to back them up. The two men fought together as if they'd done so many times before. Gwaine seemed to accept Arthur as a leader with ease, far better even than either one of them had accepted Jack when they'd joined the team.

"There are three Zoganians around the next corner, about two hundred yards into the alley", Gwen informed Arthur. A short grunt came as his answer, and a few steps later he gestured to Gwaine and Jack to fall back. She watched as they ducked into a store to wait for the three women to pass.

"Even more women, why have we seen no men?" Arthur's whispered remark came over her earpiece.

"Who knows?" Jack shrugged before he continued, "They look hot though in these tight uniforms."

While Gwen rolled her eyes at the typical remark from Jack the others remained silent. Off they went again to follow one of the women who fell a little behind. They closed in on her like she was their prey, slow and with quiet precision. Gwen saw Arthur sneak closer to the soldier, even though he stayed hidden behind a stranded van of a parcel delivery company. What was their unspoken plan?

Unexpected to her Gwaine stepped out into the woman's direct line of sight. "You come here often?" Both the wink and his question came across as far too cheesy to Gwen, and unable to help herself she sniggered at the blatant way Gwaine drew attention to himself.

The Zoganian woman however seemed far from amused by it. Already she reached for her energy weapon, which she carried on her belt… but to Gwen's joy she reacted just a fraction too late. Arthur jumped out from behind the van to beat the soldier to it. With a swift flick of his wrist Excalibur twisted into her chest until she slumped to the snow in a pool of her blood.

Impressed by the move Gwen was a bit late to notice two other soldiers were rounding the corner. Shocked she shouted, "Look out, two more are coming!"

With a curse Jack ducked behind a green sedan for cover and he pulled Gwaine along. At the shout of warning Arthur had thrown himself into the snow, and by a hair he avoided getting hit by the energy blast of a weapon. Gwen watched on in horror as she realised their luck had run out…

* * *

The cold swept even harder through the quiet streets, but for Zasha and her soldiers it was no problem. In fact, they preferred it to be this way. To her this temperature felt far better than before. Like all Zoganians she thrived in the cold freezing weather. It was just how they were wired. The lower the temperature around them the faster the metal nanites in their blood and brains worked. Zasha knew it was what made them so ruthlessly effective.

Zoganians were a race of part machine and part organic beings, who resembled humans, but were actually of a planet far beyond the Milky Way called Zogan. The first Zogans were female robot soldiers who took over the bodies of their creators and rulers when they no longer judged them to be up to the task of warfare. Two centuries ago when they learned to master nano technology they turned themselves into the new generation of Zogans, soon renamed Zoganians.

One victory wasn't enough for the war faring race. All beings of flesh, and especially men, were considered weak and they needed to be changed into one of them. In their eyes the galaxy needed to be occupied with the one prime race, the Zoganians, so they could all work towards prosperity. There was no room for differences, or weakness. Only slaves were weak, but they were nothing worth mentioning. Growing in number fast and therefore always in need of more resources the Zoganians flew out to conquer worlds. Earth was only the latest in a long line of unfair battles.

Earlier today Zasha was told by the science specialists it was easy to manipulate the pollution filled skies of the planet with their technology. One shot full of particles fired from their weather control gun and the atmosphere adapted itself to their needs. Her training however had nothing to do with science and so she didn't care much about technology. All she needed was for the particle gun to do its work. The how and why of it were left better off with the science team.

What was her job though was to bring the illusive group of weaklings to their knees. It was why she had returned to the planet surface. This should have been a routine hunt for her and her soldiers, but to her anger these humans were better fighters than she gave them credit for. Four of her soldiers were killed, four! She bristled when soldier 7581 gave her the news, with a waver in her voice as if she feared her leader. Zasha felt good to know she still had an edge over her soldiers, but if she did not get these men down on their knees soon her life was worthless to the Empress.

Turning around another street corner she finally had her eyes on three of the weaklings. Two held long, metal blades in their hands while the third seemed to carry an old fashioned sort of gun. Remembering the healer's description of the weapon which killed the first of her soldiers Zasha realised this was it. One of these two carrying a blade was responsible for the atrocity. Her contempt was now accompanied by annoyance. How could it be men were fighters on this planet and even worse, how could they be better fighters than some of her soldiers? None of it made any sense to her.

When the blonde one cut down a fifth soldier of her team with an almost nonchalant flick of his wrist Zasha was done with being careful. Together with the one soldier left at her side she stepped out of the shadows and together they fired their energy weapons at the three. It would only be a matter of time now before the humans would be down and out, or so Zasha promised herself. There was no room left for error.

* * *

The new sword fitted perfect in Gwaine's hands. Its balance and weight were equal to his old sword left in the dark ages and yet this one seemed even better suited to him. The way in which it was crafted and engraved had Gwaine believe that Arthur spend a lot of money on it. It was an honour to be given something so beautiful and by none other than the King himself. Sure they were equals now in this era, but somewhere deep down a part of Gwaine would always see his friend as such. When Arthur explained the meaning behind the engraved runes to him Gwaine had felt so touched that for once he was lost for words… and in truth he still was.

Out here, fighting side by side for the future of the world, Gwaine regained his confidence of old. With every glimpse of quiet trust shining from Arthur's eyes he let go of the nightmare he had suffered last night. His last spoken words of his life in the past, "I have failed", faded further into the background. In this moment Gwaine fought with all of his heart and strength, listening to every quiet order and direction Arthur gave to him.

Arthur had just struck down the fifth soldier when to his horror Gwaine found the balance tipping back into the Zoganians' favour. While Jack pulled him to safety behind a green sedan his eyes were glued to Arthur, who ducked down into the deep snow to avoid the balls of energy aimed at them all. For a long moment his friend didn't move and Gwaine was afraid he'd been hit. "Arthur?" He asked into his earpiece. Another long second went by in silence before he heard the soft mumbled, "I'm alright. Get to safety you two."

At last, like during most missions, there was the one order Gwaine refused to follow. Grabbing his gun from the waistband of his jeans he nodded to Jack and then gestured that they would distract the two soldiers who attacked without any sort of hesitation. He undid the safety hook while he found a better position. Gwaine realised it was a good thing after all that he had accepted Jack's offer to teach him how to use a gun.

Of course Merlin had refused the lessons, because his friend was a healer and not a fighter. But Gwaine had wanted to learn and Arthur too had not rejected the offer. They had not said it out loud, but in part it was because the both of them wanted to protect Merlin during 'Albion's darkest hour'. Go figure that the moment when Gwaine would first fire it at aliens was to save his other best friend instead.

The noise of his gunshots filled the streets and mixed in with Jack's efforts to do the enemy some damage, but sadly none of their bullets hit their two targets. Both women were more than capable of dodging their fire. Arthur though grabbed the opportunity for what it was and when Gwaine felt him duck for cover behind him he felt a rush of relief well up. So well worth the lessons indeed!

"They've pinned us down", Arthur observed.

"We need to find better cover", Jack agreed with a nod of his head to a nearby office building. "If we round that wall we are out of their line of fire for a while", he suggested.

"Go… I will provide cover fire for you", Gwaine offered. Once more he sent off a round of bullets while he watched his friends move on. The moment they had made it there Jack began to fire and Gwaine knew that he was covered to make his dash after them. Gun still in hand he made his run for it. There were no more than five yards left to go when he slipped over an icy patch of snow…

A pair of strong hands prevented him from falling all the way down. With a quick pull he got drawn against a solid body for further support. "I've got you", Arthur sounded a little out of breath and when Gwaine met his eyes he saw how his confidence got shaken.

Out of reflex Gwaine teased his friend, "Time and a place for this, Sire." He almost felt sorry for the blush and the brisk way Arthur set him free again… but when their eyes met Gwaine noticed that his twinkle of humour had done the trick. Back was the former King who did not waver from what he set out to do, not even when he set to follow Jack who was better suited to gun fights.

Unable to stay where they were Gwaine followed Jack and Arthur as they ran on. Along their way back to the Hub they ducked for cover behind anything even remotely capable of providing it. Every now and then Gwaine aimed his gun at the soldiers, as did Jack and Arthur, but so far they'd been unsuccessful. How long could they keep this up? Gwaine knew it could not be forever, and the point drove home when he ran out of bullets with the safety of the Hub still too far away for comfort.

Worse than that Gwaine now counted six Zoganians, who were pinning them down with blasts of their energy weapons. Jack had opted against using the stolen weapons themselves, unless it became a necessity. A time closing in on them fast, or so Gwaine believed. He was about to suggest it when something shifted in the air around them…

Unexpected the wind picked up pace, blowing snow up into the sky at an impossible speed. Clouds of puffy white flakes lifted from the ground in spirals, blowing towards the soldiers, who were equally as stunned by the odd spell of nature as Gwaine was. The growing twirl of snow lifted up higher and higher into the air, speeding in a direct line to the soldiers. The harsh wind threw one of the soldiers against a wall, while another crashed into a stranded bendy bus and a third against a litter bin. None of them moved, because each impact had proven powerful enough to kill them on site.

When the remaining three soldiers turned and fled from a wall of fire heading their way there was only one logical explanation Gwaine could think of. Magic had caused this. "Merlin!" He shouted out before he turned around to meet his friend. To his surprise Gwaine saw Ianto and Gwen had come along. While Gwen was pulling Jack and Arthur up on their feet they all looked at Ianto, who's eyes burned golden while his hand reached out in front of him to control the high flames.

Merlin stood at Ianto's side with an odd mix of pride and sadness shining out of his normal coloured blue eyes. "We thought you could do with a hand", Merlin offered with a wry smile before his sorrow filled eyes glowed again to help Ianto end the current threat once and for all. Gwaine sensed that the two men did not want to do it, but there was no other option left to them. If one of these relentless soldiers walked away alive the fight would not be over and their lives would remain in danger.

* * *

Tense silence returned to the streets of Cardiff. The soldiers were gone, but Merlin wondered for how long. Someone in the huge spaceship above them would have noticed the gunshots and the flames, wouldn't they?

Obviously Jack shared his doubts. "Could you cover their bodies with snow for us? We can't have their kind find them too soon and allow for them to call for reinforcements." His shrug seemed almost uncaring, but if you looked close enough at his manners there was a sadness in his eyes which betrayed the truth. Merlin believed that it was the soldier in Jack, who hid the truth behind the walls he put around his heart and he would deal with the consequences later. Merlin was already doing the exact same thing…

Even so he could not help but worry if he had pushed Ianto too far. It seemed no more than just a moment ago when he was still down in the Hub, teaching Ianto how beautiful and good magic was. It was sad that he had to allow for it to turn dark on them both the moment they came out here. The balance between good magic and dark magic had always been a fine line to walk. All of his life he tried to do the right thing and now once more he was pushed into a situation he wished he could have avoided. "I am so sorry", he said as he walked over to Ianto.

Sad eyes turned towards him, an uneasy feeling lingering in them. "It felt so powerful to destroy. Is this what it is always like?"

Merlin shook his head at Ianto's question. "It can be for some, but not if your heart is in the right place. It is far more beautiful and powerful to create, rather than destroy. Please keep in mind what I said in the Hub. Magic comes from the world all around us and it should always be in balance with it."

A small, honest smile formed on Ianto's lips before Merlin heard him vow, "I will remember that… I promise."

While Ianto walked over to help the others divide all the stolen technology between them Jack came up to his side. The Captain tried to hand over a weapon to him, but Merlin shook his head and did not accept it. "In all of my life I have never carried a gun and I won't start using one today."

Jack narrowed his eyes and his voice sounded incredulous when he asked, "Never? Not even during the Great War?"

Shaking his head Merlin admitted the truth of why he had been on the frontline, "I was a medic in the war. All I ever carried were stretchers, injured soldiers and my medical bag." Flashes of the past threatened to creep up to the surface, but Merlin ignored them in the light of day. No, he could not afford his nightmares and memories of the trenches to run free now in the face of another battle. He would have to stay strong. Falling apart could wait until after it was done!

A look of unmistakable understanding dawned in Jack's eyes, but he too remained silent for a few seconds longer to give them both the space to squash them back down. After a deep swallow Jack offered, "Up on the ship our luck and your magical advantage may run out. At least accept to carry this beaming device and when I command it get everyone out of there alive. No matter what happens I will walk away from this in the end, but our friends are not made of the stuff you and I are. We have to protect them."

In the offer Merlin recognized the price they both paid. To be immortal did not make one callous or even invincible. Only today he had seen Jack return from the dead and how the ghost of that memory still lingered with him. Dying hurt, but worse even than that was saying goodbye and on that they agreed without a word needed. Merlin nodded to show that he understood why the Captain asked of him what he did. "Only if you promise me to do the same."

Jack too nodded once, "You have my word."

Together they walked over to the others. In but moments they had hidden every trace they'd left in the snow before they stood close together. "I am back in charge", Jack said with a firm voice and a smile to Arthur. "We will beam up on the spaceship to learn more about these people. No one engages them in a fight. We stay hidden for as long as we can. If things heat up we will try to make it down and hide in the Hub. This mission may be suicide, so I won't force you to come with me. But I firmly believe that up there lies our only chance to stop this invasion. Who is with me?"

After five silent and verbal agreements Jack nodded. "Team Torchwood, we make our stand here. Humans versus Zoganians. One – nil so far, let's beat some more odds." With a grin he pushed the button on the stolen transporter device. A small beam of light pierced the sky, signalling the fact that his transport was in progress.

Merlin watched as the others disappeared and then pushed the button on his device. "Here goes nothing", he muttered before the resulting light swept him up on board of the spaceship.


	30. CAI: Chapter eight

**Chapter eight**

For the first time that day it seemed luck had chosen Torchwood's side. When Jack appeared on board of the ship none of the enemies awaited his arrival. The light grey transporter room was empty of life. Relieved he lowered the energy weapon in his hands. The boring grey walls all around Jack were by far too sterile looking to him. Strange, did these people have a cleaning fetish? Only one wall of technology provided some sort of colour, with small indicator lights blinking in blue and red.

Jack smiled when one by one his team appeared on the platform in the middle of the room as well. When they were all present he headed over to the dark grey door. Standing in front of it he wondered for one second how it opened, before he noticed a large button painted in the same grey as the wall. "Follow me, but stay quiet and keep your weapons at the ready." With a pointed glare he looked at Merlin, asking him in silence to reconsider carrying a weapon. A firm shake of his head was the only answer Jack got. Once more he doubted the wisdom of the other man, but he stayed silent. All he hoped was that Merlin's decision wouldn't come back to bite them in the backside.

With one firm push on the button Jack opened the door for his team. Sneaking into the long corridor he had no clue where to go. Left or right? Which way was the engine room, or the bridge? Closing his eyes for a moment he tried to listen for the telltale sounds of people and machinery. Far off to his right he heard people talk in an alien language, their footsteps echoing further away into distance. It felt as if the soft rumble of an engine came from far down below him. Taking an educated guess Jack headed right.

When Jack was about to turn a corner he stopped dead in his tracks just in time. There in the next hallway stood a group of Zoganians, who were all men. Dressed in plain white, long sleeved shirts and dark grey trousers they seemed more like workers than soldiers to Jack. Some carried tools and unlike the soldiers their clothes were less expensive. Their pale faces seemed somehow less haughty. None of them carried a weapon, as far as Jack could see.

One of the Zoganians laughed, before he called out something which sounded more like an order to Jack than any of the other words the men had spoken until then. Like one the group parted. Some men disappeared behind a door on the left side and others walked further ahead into the corridor. Jack waited for one moment longer before he dared to move onwards, trusting that his team would stay on his six. Just to be sure they were safe he kept the stolen energy weapon at the ready.

Every now and then he stopped his team from walking onwards. Sometimes a door opened in the corridor ahead of them to reveal more enemies. Each time Jack waited until the coast was clear before he continued. The further they got though the more aliens came across their path and the more of them carried weapons, Jack noticed. While at first he had thought it was a coincidence only female soldiers hunted them now he began to see that Arthur was right. It seemed on Zogania women were soldiers and men workers. Their hierarchy was as foreign to the team as their language.

Gwen crept up to his side when once more they waited for the corridor to clear. "Jack. It's getting too crowded for my liking…", she whispered. "What is your plan?"

He didn't get to answer her for a door just a few feet behind them opened and a man stepped out into the corridor. Alien words of a warning rolled of his tongue before he faltered at the sight of Merlin placing a finger on his own lips in the universal gesture for silence. "We mean you no harm", Jack heard him say in a calming deep voice. But a second later Merlin raised his hand and as his eyes switched colour Jack knew he had it all under control. The whisper of a spell made the Zoganian slump to the floor, snoring light even before he hit the ground. Jack grinned when Merlin shrugged in a way which could have meant, "I told you so."

After Jack nodded his thanks to Merlin he grabbed the Zoganian and pointed to the door the man had come through. Inclining his head to show his team that he planned to go inside he grabbed the sleeping Zoganian by a shoulder. He waited until Ianto took a hold of the other shoulder and together they dragged the alien man inside. With Arthur and Gwaine in front they all walked into the room, ready to face what awaited beyond.

Jack was glad to see it indeed was the storage room he expected it to be. No other Zoganian was in sight. It seemed the odds were still on their side… but for how much longer though? Gwen was right. They needed a plan and quick. Even more so since the alien managed to call a partial warning. Good thing then that Jack had experience in boarding and robbing spaceships, not that he would admit to some of the things he had been up to as a con artist before coming to Earth. In a hushed voice he began to set out his plan to his team…

* * *

Soft spoken words in a language he'd almost forgotten reached his ears. The voices belonged to the people of the planet below he guessed. Did they even know what fate awaited them when they were inevitably caught? The men would definitely be enslaved, just like he was. That was if their looks and physiology pleased the soldiers. Upon closer look he feared the worst. Considering their dark hair it was more likely they would get killed. Ephram had a feeling only the one golden haired man, who spoke in an assured tone of voice, would be turned into a servant of some sort.

Ephram kept his eyes closed. Maybe it was better if these people didn't know that he had woken up. All their whispers about sabotage frightened him. Though he had to admit the part of himself which remembered the life before was getting more and more curious about what they were up to. Could it be that these humans were the one chance he had of freeing himself of the horrid nanites? Were they worth taking a risk for?

The Zoganians thought they had everything under control and for the larger part they truly did. Their nanites controlled thousands of men to the point where they followed blind and without the memory of who they once were. However a growing number of slaves just like Ephram saw flashes of their past. It made them realise that they were not born Zoganian. Their identities were a fraud; a lie to keep them placid and enslaved. The number they were given to name them by were as impersonal as their existence. This harsh truth scared the few who saw past the lie.

One day from out of nowhere Ephram had remembered his birth name. Like in a dream he saw where he had come from. His home planet was frozen solid and left abandoned many years ago, all for spoils of war. The resurfacing sad truth made him realise what he needed to do. Yes, even if it cost him his life these people were his best chance. If he wanted to be freed of the nanites and the crushing control then this was his moment. Taking a breath to steady himself Ephram opened his eyes to face the fighters. "You will need an insider to help you…"

Six faces turned to him in shock. To his surprise the dark haired man in the long coat stepped forward. Was a man their leader? Shaking his head at himself he smiled. Of course the Zoganian ways of life were not the standard on the world below. They rarely were. Even on his own planet a man had ruled, not an Empress.

Ephram wasn't surprised when the man aimed a weapon at him. To his amusement it was a stolen Zoganian weapon. So these people were quite resourceful then? Good! To show that he meant no harm Ephram raised his hands to surrender. No matter which planet he'd seen in his life, this gesture at least was universal and it would not be misunderstood for anything else. "I mean you no harm", he said.

"You speak our language?" One of the other men asked. When Ephram nodded the brown eyes regarded the leader. A look of doubt passed between the two men.

Quickly Ephram realised that they feared what he had overheard them say and so he decided to let them know that he was on their side. "Your planet was scanned by the Zoganian fleet and all humans will soon be controlled by the nanites. They will freeze over your oceans, create new slaves of your men, turn the selected women into soldiers and then they will strip your cities bare of all the Empress wishes to possess. I have seen it happen before. Please, let me help you."

"What, you switch sides just like that?" There was a frown and obvious doubt in the leader's eyes.

"Jack…", the woman stepped forward to warn him off. "Give him a chance. Please, tell us more. Why would you help us?" Her encouragement came with a smile, even though her kind eyes shared her leader's doubts.

Ephram smiled. It seemed even on this world a woman could be the heart of a group of fighters. A twinge of pain flashed on his mind when he remembered his own wife. In some ways this woman from many worlds away reminded him of her. She had also been fighting for their world, right up until the point it was lost to the Zoganian soldiers.

"All of what is happening to your world and to your people… it happened to mine. I lost everything and was turned into a slave. The nanites are not as in control of me as they once were. My memory is returning and I am afraid that the soldiers will find out. If they do my life is forfeit", Ephram took a deep breath before he looked the leader straight in the eyes. "There are only twenty four hours to go from the moment of the scan. Any moment after that your people will be controlled by the nanites. Half a day is gone, so you can't afford to waste more time. Help me be free and I will help you."

* * *

"What do you think?" Arthur found Jack's eyes locked on his. He realised that the captain finally trusted him enough to ask the question outright. "Hey, and why did he wake so soon?" The latter question was aimed at Merlin of course.

Arthur grinned when Merlin shrugged, but his heart filled with worry when the truth dawned on his friend. "It must be the virus, uh these nanites inside of him…" Arthur wasn't surprised when Merlin faltered and turned deliberately vague in his explanation. It was his usual way to hide his magic from strangers.

Once more he turned to look at the slave who seemed unable to follow the meaning between the lines. Of course he wasn't going to enlighten him. Beyond the fear in the man's eyes there was a look of determination as well. His manners were still shy and hesitant, as if he fully placed his fate in the hands of the men standing before him. Arthur knew that it was a risk to trust a slave, but for the life of him he could see no other way. "Tell me, what is your name?"

The green eyes looked up before the man answered, "My full designation is 87-42613, but call me Ephram. It's the name I believe my parents gave me."

The trace of sadness in Ephram's eyes made Arthur's decision. "Well then Ephram, we accept your help. Tell us what you have in mind." He missed the look in Jack's eyes, who was amused by the way Arthur couldn't help but take charge of the decision.

"We must prevent the soldiers from being able to use the nanites. If we could somehow wake up all of your people the Zoganians lose their most important advantage. Our next step is to stop them from scanning again by taking out the particle gun and the fleet of cubes. We have to do so on all of the ships. I can navigate you to the storage rooms and show you where the weapons control is."

"Can you tell us how they work?" Arthur wondered out loud.

When Ephram looked unsure his heart sank, but when the slave spoke again he found his hope rekindled, "I can only access the computers, which control the cubes. The particle gun system however is out of my reach."

One look at Jack told Arthur that he had an idea how to take out the latter. "These weapons of yours, can they disable computers and machines?" The captain asked Ephram with a pointed look at Arthur.

It seemed once more Jack insisted on taking charge. With a grin at his own expense Arthur let him. Their continuous tendency to step in front of the other was both amusing and getting on his nerves at the same time. Arthur began to see his Torchwood career was short lived. All his life he had been a leader, trusted to make the decisions for his kingdom and his knights. Now he had to take a backseat, which in itself was a challenge. Doing so for a man like Jack didn't make it any easier.

Of course Jack was a good man, any fool could see that. Yet there was a side to him which Arthur could not reconcile with. Gwaine once suggested that the endless flirting rubbed him the wrong way, but Arthur knew it wasn't the problem he struggled with. No, what troubled him was the decision making of the man, which bordered on ruthless at times. The way he dealt with aliens, and even sometimes his team was a bit too dark and careless for Arthur's liking.

"Yes", the slave answered Jack's question. "The electrical charge will disable computers if you set it to full power." Ephram stepped forward when Jack narrowed his eyes to look at the weapon. His fingers trembled when he pointed out a small button on the weapon. "The weapon is set to maximum charge when the indicator light burns, like this."

Arthur followed the instructions and smiled when he succeeded. It seemed their plan could truly work now, that is of course if they made it to the cubes and computers unseen. In the back of his mind he registered that they faced a huge challenge. "Hang on what about the other ships? Even if we disable this one, the others can still do their worst", Arthur realised.

Ephram nodded with a smile, pointing over to the transporter device Jack had attached to his coat pocket. "Your answer is right there. Switch it to the right setting and you can jump ships."

"So we have a plan", Jack's smiled widened to a grin.

Arthur couldn't resist the captain's enthusiasm and he smiled as well. With a nod he accepted that they would go ahead sabotaging the ships.

* * *

All the while Ianto had been silent, watching the interactions between Jack and Arthur. It was amusing to see how they worked together and yet found it impossible to let the other stay in charge. One day they would clash for sure, Ianto foresaw. More than anyone else he trusted Jack, but he'd also come to trust the former king. Something about the man oozed confidence and evoked loyalty at once. Even now Gwaine and Merlin silently offered him their loyalty.

Ianto looked at Merlin. As always his deep blue eyes were guarded, but Ianto knew that the immortal man was always listening and thinking one step ahead if he could. He wasn't surprised when Merlin added, "We will try and sabotage this ship together. Once we have managed to do this I will check on the druids' progress. Let's hope that by then they've had enough time to find the cure for the nanites. We need everyone on Earth healed for our plan to work." With a nod Jack agreed.

One by one they got ready to follow Jack. As silent as possible they snuck back out into the ship's corridor. "This way", Ephram whispered while he pointed to the right. Being the last team member to walk out of the storage room Ianto closed the door behind him. He slid in behind Merlin and nodded to Jack, to let him know that he could go ahead leading them to their target.

The team had made it down two decks without a problem. They were just about to turn a corner when a patrol of soldiers spotted them. By far too fast the Zoganian women pinned them down, their weapons' fire echoing in the narrow space. Ianto ducked in time to avoid an energy blast and he prayed that somehow they would survive this…


	31. CAI: Chapter nine

**Chapter nine**

Where Merlin knelt on the floor he got surrounded by smoke, which filled up the corridor. An energy blast had hit a nearby console and set it on fire. A thick, nasty smelling puff of smoke travelled upwards from it. The awful tang of metal stung in his eyes. Only when he used his enhanced magical sight did he manage to locate everyone. To protect them he caught a fired energy ball with an unspoken spell and flung it back to where it came from like a boomerang. The effect was instant, and one of the soldiers fell.

Merlin turned around fast when a soldier came up behind him, but he found he'd run out of time to react. Luckily a sword came to his rescue. It swung through the air and sliced deep into the woman in front of him. "Gwaine!" Merlin called in relief to his friend, while he pulled the man down to his side to avoid another energy blast.

Jack gestured to the two of them, stolen weapon at the ready, to say that he had their backs covered. The noise of his fire soon filled the air above Merlin's head. By the time he dared to look up again he noticed that the number of Zoganians was increasing. More energy weapons were aimed at them and it became a struggle to keep everyone he cared for safe.

"Go!" Jack's voice pierced through the cacophony of noises. When Merlin's eyes found him in the midst of the smoke he saw how the captain pulled Ephram up on his feet to back them both away from the fight.

 _"Get them out of here",_ the order reached his mind. _"Remember your promise, Merlin. Take care of them…"_ Jack's voice faded into nothingness, because he could no longer keep up the tentative telepathic link between them. With a determined look on his face the captain disappeared into a storage room just a few feet away from where the fight was. The door closed behind him on his way to safety.

With all of his heart Merlin hoped for Jack to remain safe and that his tenacity would help him in whatever he set out to do. There was nothing more anyone else could do for him from this point forth… and they both knew it. Merlin realised then that more than a sacrifice it offered the team a retreat and if he made the most of it he could buy them all time, Jack included.

"Everyone, grab my hands", Merlin ordered in a half whisper, so the soldiers wouldn't be able to overhear. He grabbed a hold of the nearest hand he could reach out to. Gwaine nodded in immediate understanding when their fingers entwined, not a second wasted as he put all of his trust in his friend's hands. Merlin watched as Ianto pulled Arthur close to his side and kept holding onto him.

Gwen followed with a look of panic on her face, "But… Jack…"

Ianto shook his head with sadness, "He has made his choice, Gwen." It seemed Ianto had also seen and understood Jack's intentions when he retreated.

Merlin noticed how the Welshman's knuckles turned white, while he held onto the right arm of a struggling Gwen with a firm grip. It was clear to Merlin that he had to react fast, or Gwen would pull free. He tore the triskelion necklace from his neck and clasped it firm in the palm of his free hand. Letting his eyes burn golden he gathered the full array of his magic to conjure flames to life. He let them soar by causing a wind strong enough to fuel it for a while. The brute onslaught of heat and smoke filled the corridor, adding even more chaos and falling soldiers to the mess. Zoganian cries of anger and frustration filled the air, but Merlin didn't listen to them.

When all traces of their presence were about to be buried in ashes Merlin was sure he'd covered up for all of them, including Jack. One by one he let go of the flames and the rush of air, so that he could focus his magic on the druid pendant clutched in his hand instead. A clear image of its grey haired owner formed in his mind. Merlin held onto it and extended his thoughts to the ancient force he always used to travel between sacred places. When he had gathered enough power he cast a spell under his breath, which would take them from the eye of the firestorm back down to Earth.

* * *

Within the blink of an eye the awful smoke and chaos around him had disappeared. Once again Arthur felt awed by the fact Merlin had moved them through space as if it was nothing. They were back on Earth and back to safety, but where were they? Before Arthur could even think about asking Merlin collapsed with a sigh. Reacting on instinct he caught his friend before he dropped to the floor altogether. Worried Arthur lowered him down to a sitting position and he knelt down by his side to call for his friend's attention. "Merlin?"

Tired eyes blinked open again and as they looked back at him Merlin answered, "I'm alright. It's just the smoke. Give me a second or two to catch my breath."

Breathing in much needed fresh air himself Arthur nodded, even though he worried that Merlin hid the full truth. The many spells his friend had cast today were taking an obvious toll on his energy and this last one seemed to have left him shaken. Feeling the strain of the day himself Arthur wondered how much more they all could take.

"What the bloody hell was that? Why did you let Jack die? At least one of us should have stayed to help him. We should have…"

The waterfall of angry sounding, nearly shouted words coming from Gwen faltered when Arthur jumped to his feet to speak up for his friend. "Jack didn't die, not this time. He snuck away before Merlin started the mayhem. Be glad that he got us out alive, because none of us would have survived otherwise. We are not like Jack. The Captain will always walk away, he's immortal."

Merlin grabbed Gwaine's offered hand and got to his feet, with more effort than it should have taken. "As am I, but it doesn't mean his life is worth any less than yours and his death hurts him any less then when you died."

Arthur winced at the deep sadness in his friend's voice. "I am sorry… I didn't mean to imply that, it is just…"

Merlin waved it off, "I know, none of you can truly grasp what it's like to live this way. It has taken me many years to come to terms with myself. Just think about it. How would you feel to watch those you love die when you can't even grow old with them and you are forced to always live on?"

A quiet and sad voice answered the question, "I have seen it many times in Jack's eyes when he thought I wouldn't see. Trust me… I do understand. I just wish there was another way. To think that I will leave him behind one day." Everyone turned to Ianto, who looked to Merlin in turn. "You understand what it will do to him. Tell me, how do you move on from a lost love?"

The hurt in Ianto's voice made Arthur realise that he put his foot in it. Immortality was not something beautiful, but something far more painful…

"Just like every human being on this Earth deals with grief, one day at the time", came Merlin's hope filled answer.

Arthur smiled to himself at the wisdom of his friend's words. Like so often Merlin knew how to put him straight unlike anyone else. It had only fully hit him in this moment that Merlin was forced to always live on. When both Gwaine and he were gone their friend would be left alone again. The thought upset him and suddenly Arthur grasped how immortality was a curse no man should have to bear. He had always thought of Merlin as a brave man, but on this dark day he began to see the whole picture.

A glance over to Gwaine told him that his friend understood as well. Nodding to him Arthur accepted how he spoke for them both, "We better make sure then that Jack's sacrifice isn't in vain." He clapped Merlin on a bony shoulder to lock eyes with him, before he added in all honesty, "I truly am sorry, old friend. Thank you for speaking up. Every now and then you have a way with words. Now where do we find this druid of yours? "

"Right here", a kind voice answered from several yards away. His voice echoed in the large entrance hallway of the large building where Merlin had transported them inside of.

Arthur turned around to see who had spoken. A grey haired man stood on the wide stairs at the end of the open space filled with a desk station and a waiting area. The newcomer hesitated for one moment longer and smiled apologetic as if to say that he was sorry he had interrupted them. Nodding to Merlin he then walked down the remaining steps. Once he was at their side he greeted, "Emrys. You and your friends have excellent timing."

"Gary Roberts, I want you to meet Arthur Pendragon." Merlin introduced the newcomer to him, not even bothering using the name he'd chosen to hide his royal origin to the people of this century.

Respectful blue eyes looked back at Arthur. "The Once and Future King. To finally meet you in person is an honour." The greeting was accompanied with a bow of curtsy.

Over his head Arthur saw Merlin smile with pride. It was obvious how much the old, full title meant to his friend. When the had dust settled after their journey to Camelot in this time Merlin had told Gwaine and him about the druid prophecies. The added title to Arthur's name had once given Merlin and everyone with magic hope for a better future. As such Arthur had promised his friend that he would treasure it, even if he couldn't help but feel apprehensive at the way it linked to their combined destiny. More so now than ever he felt a responsibility to the world of magic, and it was that thought which made him want to live up to the title. So instead of setting Gary straight he accepted the curtsy with a small nod.

"Thank you, but please call me Arthur." He decided to take charge, spotting tiredness and confusion among his dishevelled looking friends. "Gary… this is team Torchwood. Ianto Jones and Gwen Cooper. And this is Sir Gwaine, knight of Camelot and now part of the team." He didn't give anyone the time to properly introduce themselves. "We should get down to business though. Captain Harkness is still up there and he needs us to get to work, sooner rather than later. Can you tell us how far your people are with the cure?"

"Of course… follow me. I will let the doctors explain it to you."

Arthur followed the man up the stairs and then up to the second floor. There were many rooms off to the hallways, but Gary ignored them. As the man led them onwards Arthur could not help but wonder where he was. This was no house a druid owned, was it? Then where had Merlin brought them? In need of answers he asked, "What is this place?"

Gary gave him a polite smile, "You're in the modest hospital of Brecon. My eldest son is a doctor and analyst here. I know it is only a small place, but fate decided that we came here together. From his computer we set up a network of helpers. Between us all we are close to the final answers."

* * *

The few times Empress Zamira came down to one of the lower decks could be counted on one hand. She deemed herself far above the people who lived and worked there. Slaves were only useful as workers; nothing more and nothing less. In all of her life she had not seen them as people, not even as men. Many were born far from Zogania and were from a lesser origin. It was only because of her leniency that these weaklings had been given a chance to better themselves. Yet they never could be more than what they were now, slaves. Created to work for twelve hours a day they would only live for as long as they were obedient and hardworking. It was how her kind preferred them to be.

Even men were better than slaves, Zoganian born men that was. While their hot tempers and headstrong behaviour made men unsuited as soldiers they were useful to have around. It made Zamira smile to know that there were three husbands awaiting her back home. The oldest, a council member, would be there to discuss her travels and future plans with. It amused her to listen to his ideas and then to put most of them aside. The father of her children would be teaching her two daughters language and history, with a patient smile on his face. To be a breeder was after all his purpose for being.

Last but not least was her guilty pleasure. No one on Zogania was aware how she cared more for her youngest husband than anyone else in the universe. He was taken in by her to help her alleviate the stress of being an Empress. Even now she knew that on the day when she returned home he would quietly undress and wait on his knees beside her bed. It was his invitation to her to do with him as she pleased. The image of his beauty was enough to calm her down as she made her way to the corridor of her ship where the Earth weaklings had been seen last.

Zamira approached her soldiers with an air of arrogance and annoyance. Her question was barked, as if an order to her soldiers to snap to attention, "What happened?"

One of the women bowed a curtsy. "We discovered the weaklings sneaking around in the corridors and surrounded them. We are not sure what happened. The flames came out of nowhere, and the fire burned them alive. We heard their howls of pain in the wind."

The Empress' eyes travelled along the ruins and ashes of the interior. Clearly a fire had burned its way through the corridor and fast too. Panels were twisted and blackened, and obvious impacts of energy blasts fired by Zoganian weapons marked the walls and floor alike. A few feet away from her a damaged transport device was left behind, yet each soldier felled still carried theirs.

The soldier at her left spoke up, "We believe that they have stolen it from Zasha and her away team. We've tried to contact her, but there was no answer."

"But you are sure that the weaklings burned?"

The soldier shrugged with a wry smile on her face. "No one could have survived such a devastating power. The heat alone would have been enough to take them to their ends."

Zamira looked at the damage. Hmm, point taken it seemed. Barely concealed anger replaced her annoyance, "Find Zasha and bring her to me. I will deal with her and her errors myself." As she walked away to return to the bridge the Empress shouted over her shoulder, "Oh, and clean up this awful mess. We will speak of this no more."

In her arrogance to believe that the weaklings had been dealt with Zamira missed spotting the two men standing at the back of the group of gathered slaves. They were dressed equally, but only one of them was still somewhat bound to the nanites. The blue eyes of the other one followed her with interest and disapproval as she walked of. After she turned a corner the man winked to the slave by his side. The Zoganian Empress was outbluffed by Torchwood, her possible downfall set in motion behind her back.

* * *

By the time they made it to the small lab Gwen had calmed down. In all honesty she wasn't mad at Merlin, who had only saved their lives yet again, and she told him as much on their walk there. It was just Jack, who was being his frustrating self. His tendency to take matters into his own hands to protect others was both admirable and incredibly annoying, because it made them afraid of what he had to go through up there. The entire day so far she had felt like they were always a step behind the Zoganians. Could things change from this point on? In her mind she kept her fingers crossed and by the time she stepped inside the room she did her best to hide her worries.

Three people wearing lab coats worked in silence. A younger woman was sitting down behind her computer, typing a few words every now and then, while a man in his forties sat not far from her. Glasses laid to rest by his side he was staring at something through his microscope. The third dropped his work and turned around to greet them. "Gabriel, this is team Torchwood and Emrys", Gary introduced. "They have come for answers."

Gwen looked at the younger druid and was struck by his likeness to Gary. He had the same wavy mess of hair, though his was dark blonde, and curious blue grey eyes. There was an aura of mystery around him, but when he smiled it was broken. His grip when he shook her hand was strong, but fleeting. Just like his father Gabriel was more focussed on Merlin, or was it Emrys? There was something about the warlock's other name which suited him more, especially since their earlier conversation about immortality.

"Well, we may have found a way to stop this virus, or rather these nanites, from killing. To cut a long explanation short we have come up with a vaccine, which we believe we can get airborne with help of the resources of a friend who works for a secret organisation. The best antidote we came up with attacks the nanites and forces them to back off."

"But it won't cure those without magic, or wake them up?" Merlin interrupted.

"No, not entirely I am afraid. We think we need some wave of magic to pull it off, though we do not know yet how. For some reason nothing we came up with stopped the nanites all together. It is like it always needs an extra edge."

Gwen wasn't surprised to see the disappointment in Merlin's eyes as he slumped down on a stool. She knew she spoke for them all when she asked passionately, "Then how do we finish this? Come on, think. We just can't give up now…"


	32. CAI: Chapter ten

**Chapter ten**

"Is that Gwen I hear? Are you all alright? Where is Jack?" A woman's voice came from the corner of the room, where a computer screen switched to Skype as it jumped into life. The face of a woman Ianto recognized appeared.

"Martha Jones, how are you even awake?" Ianto made his way over to the computer, where he was joined by Gabriel.

"These druids are literally everywhere", Martha answered with a wink to his companion.

Shaking his head Gabriel explained, "Not really, we just know where we are needed most. There is a difference."

Martha grinned at his answer, making Ianto realise that she heard the objection a few times before. "Agreed, but I was glad to find your kind hidden inside UNIT too. About ten minutes or so ago these four druids woke me up with their vaccine and a touch of their magic. Wow, to see it from up close. Anyway I think they chose me as their test subject, because of my friend in high places." When Martha pointed up into the air Ianto knew that she meant the Doctor. "Ianto, there's no sign of him, is there?"

When he shook his head Martha seemed upset, but she stayed silent for a while. Ianto believed that she was disappointed in the Timelord, though she accepted his absence too. Truth was when he wasn't around he was usually saving another planet somewhere in time and space…

"Let me guess", Gwen interrupted while she joined them at the computer. "You lot will be using The Valiant to spread this vaccine across the planet?"

Ianto smiled when Martha nodded with pride. "Yeah, but in all honesty we are actually hijacking it. None of our superiors are awake, so we can't ask for permission." He nodded in understanding of the risk the awake UNIT members were taking on, not only as employees, but also by attracting attention to the vessel.

"The Valiant, what's that?" Arthur's voice came from behind them.

Ianto turned to answer him, "UNIT is an organisation like Torchwood, but somewhat bigger." He ignored Martha's snigger, knowing full well UNIT was almost like an army in their efficiency and size. "They use alien technology to enhance ours and in secret they defend the Earth against alien invasions. The Valiant is an Earth bound aircraft carrier built to help them protect us all. Not only can airplanes be launched from it, but there is a weapons platform too and since recent days it can also launch missiles… that is if Jack's information is correct."

When he saw Martha smile Ianto wondered out loud, "This time though the people on board must have fallen asleep by the scan before they could stop the Zoganians?"

While Martha nodded her answer Gabriel asked, "You got the vaccine airborne then, Doctor Jones?"

Martha smiled at the politeness of the man who unlike Torchwood had used her title, "We have managed to turn it into an aerosol gas. Your man has filled over a dozen canisters with it. I actually called you to say that we are on our way up to load the missiles aboard the Valiant with it. We need at least four hours to make it there and get all the missiles ready for launch. It's a very delicate process and we have to break into a few computers along the way."

"Good, so that is one part of the cure covered. Now for the magical side of things. How do we spread magic in a similar way, so it will work? Is it even possible?" Ianto mused out loud. Silence filled the room while he looked between the druids and Merlin. When no answer came forth he began to fear waking up the world was a lost cause after all…

* * *

All the while Merlin had only half listened to Ianto and Martha talking. From the moment he had learned that magic was still needed to get the cure to work he was disappointed. Once more it seemed destiny wasn't done with him. He was tired to the bone, but there was no rest to be had. A wave of magic to reach every part of the world; there was only one place capable of raising it and only he was powerful enough to call upon it. Also he was the only one who could go there, but was he ready to do it?

 _"Emrys…"_ Gary's gentle voice spoke in his mind, _"You know where the heart of magic is, don't you?"_ Merlin returned the equal of a nod, for he wasn't sure if he was brave enough to admit to it out loud. _"I am sorry, Emrys… I did not see it until now, your destiny…"_

 _"Will end today, I know."_ Merlin answered in sad silence. The Crystal Cave was where it all ended. Either the power of the crystals was still there and he could call magic to life in time, or the combined power was not strong enough and he'd fail everyone, destroying the crystals in the process. One way or the other it was more than likely he would not walk away from it. One life against the many it seemed, so there was only one path he could take. Rolling his eyes at the way the cards were being dealt Merlin reached out to Gary with his mind. _"Please, tell no one of the risk. They will learn soon enough."_

 _"You have my word, Emrys."_ The words echoed back with sadness.

Merlin swallowed away his fear in an effort to find his voice. "The side of magic is covered as well. There is a place from where I can do what is needed. Go up to the Valiant and do your thing, Martha. Wait for Jack's call that he is ready and mine as well. Only when all of us are where we need to be can this be done, but watch your back. These Zoganians should not be underestimated."

"Thank you… and good luck", Martha said before she faded from the screen.

Trusting that she was already heading out Merlin jumped off his stool and looked at everyone. "I may need a hand though."

He smiled when everyone let him know that they would do what he needed them to do, including Arthur who nodded to him as he let Merlin take charge. Gary was the last to answer, "We will be here for you."

The loyalty and trust coming from the other man made Merlin smile. In the past he would have felt overwhelmed by it, but through time he'd come to see how the druids always regarded him as powerful and he had accepted it. With a grin he shook his head, "I do not need you here. What we need is as many people born with the gift of magic awake. Each one of you should find a place of ancient powers and…"

He smiled when Gary finished his sentence, "You need us to help you push forwards the wave of magic you create and enhance it where we can."

Nodding Merlin looked at the others, who were confused because they had missed the silent part of their conversation. When he caught the look of amusement in Gwaine's eyes he grinned. "We are off on a hike… you, Arthur and me, just like old times."

Arthur protested, clearly not amused, "In this ridiculous, freezing weather?"

"Afraid so. I can only take us as far as Camelot with my magic. The place where we need to travel to is hidden so deep away that not even I can break the seal which protects it from here. The spell I have used to guard it works a bit too well", Merlin grinned at the way Arthur rolled his eyes.

To his amusement Gwaine shrugged before he remarked, "Nothing is going smooth today anyway. So when do we leave?"

"There's no time to waste, so the three of you should go", Gary said. "The visitor centre is a ten minute drive from here. From there I will take Ianto to Iseldir's grave. Up on the Pen-y-Fan his spirit will help us."

Merlin nodded to him in understanding. Even while no longer in this world the once insightful druid chieftain continued to leave an important magical mark on the world. It was the perfect place for Gary to help him push the wave forwards.

"What do you need me to do?" Gwen asked with a bit of an awkward smile.

Merlin could see that she felt a bit annoyed by being left out so far. "You have the most important job, Gwen. Use the Torchwood network to enhance the one set up here. We need to stay in touch, all of us. See if you can find a way to let Jack know what we are doing. Tell him we need at least four hours to get somewhere close to being ready for the final blow. When the time is there we all need to act as one… tell him this too." Merlin finished with a wry smile for the way the captain tended to take matters in his own hands. He worried Gwen would have her hands full on that one alone.

With a grin Gwen nodded. "Be careful out there, all of you", she warned with a pointing finger. Then to Merlin's surprise she hugged him. "I understand you need to keep this special place hidden. Guard it for all of us humans, Emrys. The world needs a touch of magic, even after all of this is over." Her whisper was followed by a kiss on his cheek. Out loud she added, "I will see you again, all of you… including Jack." As she turned around and walked over to the other druids Merlin saw her blink a tear away.

"We will put out the call to other tribes as well and see how far our network of magic will grow", Gabriel offered with a nod to Gwen. Even before Merlin turned away he saw that they were already putting their heads together behind the computer to get to their work.

Merlin fastened his coat and he waited for Arthur and Gwaine to do so as well. With one final smile he said, "Thanks everyone. Now let's save the day."

Before he turned away he nodded to Gary, as a goodbye to him. In his mind he added, _"You may have sensed it, but Ianto has magic. Let him help you on your track up the mountain."_ When the druid smiled knowingly Merlin grinned. A second later he felt two hands fall into his and he closed his eyes. His next action however got cut short when a shrill sound shattered his concentration. "What?!"

* * *

Many feet above ground Jack and Ephram walked through a corridor, with their eyes lowered to the floor every time they passed a couple of soldiers on patrol. They heard one of the women say the ship security was taken up a notch, because of 'an incident'. Jack grinned to himself, knowing full well what they were referring to. Once more the arrogance of these aliens made him aware that they were not used to losing. Well, if he had it his way they would learn some time today how it felt to bite the dust.

Once more he shivered at the cold air. Not wearing his greatcoat made him feel oddly naked. The white, long sleeved shirt was by far not warm enough. Ephram had explained to him that the slaves were not cold, because of the nanites in their blood. The tiny buggers actually worked more efficient this way. Jack had rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Then we better keep moving to keep me warm enough", he had said through another shiver.

Since then they had found their way to the cube storage deck. Jack had expected there were quite a few of the blasted things lying around, but all the same he was still amazed by the sheer amount of them. At least a thousand cubes were piled up on shelves, ready to kill and change many innocent lives. Ephram had led him to a computer console and showed him everything he knew about how it worked.

"Each cube has a bit of intelligence, but in all reality it is no more than a drone. It knows only three basic commands; scan a subject, fly back to where it was launched from and answer to orders. All we need to do is use the computer to erase the first command from its memory and they will become useless."

Jack nodded in understanding and then he winced. A flock of white dust flowing in front of his eyes reminded him of the way Ephram had felt forced to ruin his hair.

The slave grinned at his mock pout. "Like I said before, your black hair would have stuck out like a sore thumb amongst all of us blonde haired slaves. Just be glad that I found the spray can with the white powder. It sort of covers up who you truly are. Now stop shaking your head too much… please. Hmm, I should have taken the can with me."

Jack grinned at the way Ephram made fun of him. In the beginning the rogue slave was shy, but this comment showed he was getting bolder and Jack was glad to see it.

"Good thing I am a cube engineer", Ephram muttered while he tapped away on the touch screen computer, showing Jack along the way the computer menu worked. "Finally we scroll down here and switch off the final line to the command here." Jack couldn't resist grinning when he noticed how just like an Earth based computer installed with Windows all it took was unmarking a simple tick box. When it came right down to it the Zoganians weren't as sophisticated as they claimed to be…

After Ephram turned away with a happy smile Jack pulled out the Zoganian weapon to fire a ball of energy at the computer. Electricity crackled around the machine before it whimpered out of existence with one final shudder.

For one moment Ephram looked shocked, and then seeing the result he grinned. "Well… that is one way of making sure no one will ever use this console again. Uh, but there are two more."

Jack nodded, "Let us take these down too."

When five minutes later they were finished disabling all the cube consoles Jack halted Ephram for a moment to grab his mobile phone from one of the pockets of his trousers. "Fingers crossed that I can make the call to my friends", he wished while he tapped the button to speed dial to the Hub, where he hoped his team had returned to by now.

* * *

"It's Jack!" Gabriel grinned at the enthusiastic way Gwen fished her mobile out of her coat pocked to answer it. "It is good to hear your voice. Yes, we are all here. Where are you? Oh, really? Hmm… I can only imagine… what?!" The one sided conversation made little sense to him. All anyone could make of it was that by some miracle the Torchwood leader his father had told him about was still alive up there. His tenacity amazed Gabriel.

It was only when she turned around that Gwen realised her audience could not hear the other half of the conversation. Gabriel smiled at the way she waved a hand, as if Jack could see it too. "Sorry… Jack, I will put you on speaker, using the network, so that the others can hear you too. Give me a moment."

For a while she fiddled around with the wires of the computer. Page after page surfaced on the computer until after a while Gabriel spotted a black screen with a red helix figure forming a T in the middle of it. He knew from the detailed information on the virus Emrys gave them that it was the Torchwood logo.

Finally out of nowhere the Captain's voice came over the computer. "Took you long enough." His grin was followed by a curse. "Hang on a bit…" For a terrifying couple of moments it was silent, almost too silent. Then Gabriel heard some shuffling. Finally the voice returned. "Sorry, there was a patrol passing us by. Listen we have disabled this ship's cubes and are now on our way to the particle weapon console. It shouldn't be too long before we're done here."

Confidence oozed out of the man's voice, but Gabriel noticed the way Emrys winced at it. "Captain, it is Merlin here. It is good to hear you, but please you need to move slowly and careful. ALL of the ships need to be taken out for this to work and you have plenty of time. We have just learned the nanites can not be taken down by the vaccine alone."

"What!?" Jack sounded incredulous now.

"Yeah… sorry, but we need magic to help ignite it. That is why I am travelling to the heart of magic, the place I told you about earlier today. This will take me at least four hours, if not more. By then we hope UNIT is ready to spread the vaccine. Together it should be enough to wake everyone up. Anyway Gwen will fill you in further on what has happened down here."

Gabriel saw Emrys grab his friends' hands once more. For a second time golden eyes closed and shot open at the Captain's voice. "Merlin wait. There are more soldiers sent down, so be careful out there. They believe you guys died and let's keep it that way…"

With a wink meant for everyone in the room Emrys answered, "I am always careful and besides, Gwaine and Arthur are coming with me. See you on the other side, Captain."

To Gabriel's astonishment Emrys had barely finished speaking when he closed his eyes and disappeared from the room, leaving him and Gwen to deal with Jack. By then his father and Ianto had walked away as well. They too had heard enough and their journey ahead would be a tough one. Gabriel prayed to the Gods that his father would be able to pull off the climb in this weather.


	33. CAI: Chapter eleven

**Chapter eleven**

The snow covered ruins of Camelot made for an impressive, but almost tragic sight to Gwaine. In the autumn the once magnificent castle still had its beauty left to some extend. Yet today all he could see was the desolation and crumbled state. It was quite the contrast to the place they had come from just a second ago. Everything had been so pristine in the Brecon hospital, but here in Camelot nature and time stopped for nothing. The smell of dirt and wet stone reminded him of the past. Gwaine could almost vision himself and his once fellow knights ride into the town he once called home…

His attention shifted back to the present when he felt Merlin slump against his side with a tired sigh. Reacting on impulse Gwaine reached out to Merlin with both his arms. While he supported him he shared a worried glance with Arthur. They each feared all the spells of magic took too much of a toll on their friend. "Easy there", Gwaine held onto him for a bit longer than necessary.

"We can't afford to waste time, Gwaine." Merlin offered a tired smile and Gwaine could see the exhaustion in his every movement. Reluctance shone in his friend's eyes when he let go to stand onto his own two feet once more.

Gwaine had half a mind to protest, but he didn't. Instead he pulled the hastily grabbed bag he had brought along from his shoulder and opened it. Taking out a couple of sandwiches he grinned at his friends. "Having a bite to eat before walking in this weather is not wasting time, it is just the smart thing to do."

"Oh yes, I am starving!" Arthur grabbed a sandwich from his hands and after unwrapping it from the plastic foil he took an eager bite. With a grin Gwaine offered another one to Merlin before he unwrapped a third one for himself. "Where and when did you find the time to get these?"

Gwaine winked as he half answered between bites, "I have my resources." When Arthur rolled his eyes he added, "The lady druid back in Brecon gave these to me while you two were busy talking to Martha. We must have looked hungry to her." Finishing his sandwich he threw the bag over his shoulder and wiped his hands clean of crumbs on his jeans. "So off to the Valley of the Fallen Kings, yeah?"

With a grin Merlin nodded, "It's not called that anymore though." Gwaine shrugged as he put his gloves back on. Some names seemed to last through time regardless what the 21st century insisted to call the place.

Looking back to Camelot for one final time the three men walked off. It was going to be a tough hike Gwaine figured, but he believed that Ianto and Gary were worse off. To climb a barren hill in this cold condition was not something he envied them for. All the same he could not shake the feeling that the three of them drew the short straw. The source of all magic awaited them at the end of this journey and it would be where Merlin would use all of his power to save the planet…

Was it a wise thing to do? Only for the world maybe. Gwaine had no doubt on his mind that Merlin would have to push himself hard, maybe even too hard? There was a look of sad acceptance in his friend's eyes, which could only mean that he was about to make a huge sacrifice. While they walked on Gwaine felt dread grab a hold of his heart. Back in the old days each one of them would have given their lives for their friends and Camelot. Loyalty and honour were the values they had fought for. Centuries had gone by and time had changed the world in many ways, but deep down they remained the same people.

Gwaine did not dare speak the words which weighed heavy on his mind and he sensed that he wasn't alone, because he saw Arthur look at Merlin with the same feelings he had. The fact that their friend did not meet the questions in their eyes spoke the truth far louder than any words could. With each step closer to the target they were running out of time to stay together. It was frustrating and it broke his heart to find destiny was so cruel to them again, but Gwaine knew that he would not stop Merlin and nor would Arthur. To give up on humanity was not something they did. No matter what it took they had to see this through to the end.

* * *

Hugging himself into his coat Ianto got out of the car. He watched as Gary opened the trunk to grab two pairs of hiking poles. Closing the lid the druid smiled to Ianto in encouragement. Well, at least they would be of some help on their hike up the hill, he figured. Accepting the poles Ianto adjusted them to the right length. When Gary finished getting ready as well the two walked out of the parking lot to head for the Pen-y-Fan.

"What was your ancestor thinking when he got up here to die?" Ianto rolled his eyes in part mock annoyance. The best part of him though was afraid of what they were about to do. Climbing the hills in this freezing weather was asking for trouble. Every Welshman knew the reputations of the high country of the Brecon Beacons. People had died up here, because of sudden weather changes and the fact that there was no place to find shelter. The lack of trees and houses up the hills was a serious risk. Ianto saw in Gary's eyes he was all too aware of this too.

Gary smiled as he made a left turn to get onto the path leading them to the top. "My ancestor had great knowledge, but to look into a future some fifteen centuries through time? That may be stretching it." While Ianto grinned he continued, "I was told it was summer when Iseldir came here. He showed a young man the way to his future. This man will save the world today, with our help. Trust in the Goddess, Ianto. She knew what she was doing back then and she will watch over us today."

"The Goddess?" Ianto frowned in scepticism. His uneasy childhood had offered him little consolation there was any sort of God to begin with. As he grew up he preferred science and myths over religion. Stories of courage and humanity made more sense to him than the bible. His extrovert father had always tried to draw out his opinions, but Ianto had preferred to keep them to himself. Looking back at his childhood though he realised that the man had only wanted to see if he shared his secret gift of magic. It was a shame really that they were too different and as such they had never understood each other. Things could have been so different…

Unaware of his inner conflict Gary nodded, "Caridwen is the creator of nature and life. She is the Goddess of fertility, but also of death. These hills are her creation and as long as we honour her she will keep the magic of this place alive."

Ianto narrowed his eyes, "Druids are pagans, right?"

Smiling first Gary explained, "Think of Stonehenge and the stone circles build over four thousand years ago. Our ancestors created those and it is their magic which still runs in our veins. How can we believe in anything else but their ways? Christianity wasn't even around when the first of our kind built their temples. Men like you and me are connected through our gift Ianto. My ancestor buried out here may be long since gone, but his spirit is a part of the earth around us and as such he can help us."

Unsure of what to think Ianto stayed silent while they walked on. After a couple of yards he blurted out, "You know I have magic? Did Merlin tell you?"

With a grin Gary shook his head, "He didn't have to tell me. I can sense you are one of us." Once more Ianto found himself confused, but Gary noticed and clarified, "Among my people I am a leader and a teacher. My gift is a sensitive one. I can sense spirits, talk to our kind in their minds and sense their presence from miles away." He finished with an apologetic shrug.

"This is all so new to me", Ianto admitted while he tried to accept what Gary was saying without letting on that he was still more clueless than he liked to be.

"When did you realise you had magic?"

Smiling wryly Ianto answered Gary's question, "Since this morning. I was nearly frozen to death, but my magic somehow kept me alive. Don't know what happened really."

"The human instinct to survive is the strongest of them all."

Ianto looked at Gary and nodded, "That is what Merlin said too. Elemental magic is what he calls it." When he saw Gary smile in understanding Ianto smiled as well. It was strange how he could talk to this man and find a patience there with his questions which he had missed with his own father. The silence between them felt comfortable and Ianto was happy to let it linger in favour of walking on through the thick layer of snow.

* * *

A solemn silence had settled between the three friends. The only sound which disturbed the quiet forest were their shoes crunching through the snow. For once Arthur had his peace and quiet while on a quest… and he didn't like it one bit. In fact, he found it most unsettling to the point of where it annoyed him. His mind was not the best place to be right now, but he couldn't stop himself from thinking of how close he was to lose everything he cared for all over again.

What awaited them at the Valley of the Fallen Kings? Merlin always insisted the place was nothing good, but here they were getting closer with every step. Arthur wondered what the centre of magic would be like. Merlin had said it was well hidden and the only way to get there was by foot. It was why they were out here in the cold, going about travelling the old fashioned way. Why couldn't things have gone easy for once today? No, they had to plough through this snow for miles on end. Arthur was never one to sit still and he liked a bit of action, but this was taking it a step too far, even for him.

Already a mile into their track they were stumbling along. Every now and then they had to help each other back to their feet. Gwaine had insisted upon another break and the second round of sandwiches had done them the world of good. Even so Merlin was having a hard time, because his energy was below his usual level. Arthur had no doubt it was part of why his friend had fallen so quiet. Another part of him couldn't shake the worry Merlin was about to sacrifice himself. He knew Gwaine worried too, because why else was the former knight so silent? Where was the teasing and the banter?

They reached the end of the hidden path and stepped onto a single track lane. Arthur smiled remembering how Merlin had shown him this was the beginning of the road to Camelot and how they were the only ones who could see it, while it was invisible to the rest of the world. Only Torchwood had found it too, but they had needed some magical help. It was strange how destiny had pulled on them all and it had brought them together here a few months ago. Arthur shivered, wishing once more destiny was done with them. Last thing he wanted to do was to give up on what he believed in and yet how could he give up on Merlin and accept that his friend was about to risk it all?

Faltering in his step at the injustice of fate Arthur stopped walking. "Merlin… out with it please. What awaits us? I need to know…" His voice faltered at the despair in Merlin's eyes.

For a moment the silence lingered between them. Only when Gwaine clasped a bony shoulder for emotional support did Merlin admit the truth, "The place where we are going to is a cave filled with pale crystals that shine the brightest light you can imagine. Like I said before it is the source of all magic and I am connected to it. To gather the strongest burst of power we require to save everyone I need to call upon all the magic there is left inside. Only fate knows if it will be enough. Either way… I…"

"No…", Arthur whispered harshly when he saw the truth in Merlin's eyes. "You can not give up. There must be a way to survive it. I can't accept this… I…"

His desperate plea was broken by Gwaine. "There, I thought I saw something move", he hissed while he unsheathed his sword in one quick move.

The call had come in late though, because in their worry for Merlin they had failed to see the two female soldiers who'd closed in on them. Energy weapons at the ready the soldiers aimed and in a flash Arthur knew he had to react or it would all be lost. Excalibur was in his hand before the soldier could even reach for the trigger of her gun. One quick flick of his wrist and she cried out in pain as she grabbed her side. Arthur didn't hesitate to go in for the final kill. When he turned to meet the other soldier he got beaten to it. Gwaine looked grim as he pulled his sword out of the other fallen Zoganian.

"Come on", Merlin said as he began to run. Arthur nodded and followed, seeing Gwaine do the same. They headed for a narrow trail and disappeared between a couple of man sized rocks, which marked the entry of the valley they were heading for. Only when they deemed it safe again did the three men slow down.

"There is no other way to end this", Merlin finally answered Arthur's plea. "No matter what happens at the Crystal Cave know that it is my choice and I have made it. There can be no Earth with these Zoganians around. Humanity faces extinction, Arthur. We can't fail them."

"I know", Arthur accepted with the same determination. "The world needs us to do this and while it is unfair we must not hesitate." Nodding to Gwaine he stepped up into his old position of leader. "Watch our backs. I will walk up front. Merlin… you save your energy as much as you can. We will get you there." No more words were needed. It could be the last quest, but Arthur vowed that they would be successful and if he had any chance at saving Merlin he would. There was no way he would give up on his friend without a fight.

* * *

Up in the sky one spaceship was disabled, even though the Zoganians were unaware of this. Jack and Ephram beamed across many miles of air and found themselves aboard the ship hovering above New York, not that they were aware of where they were. The transporter room had no windows and it was too similar to the one of the ship above Cardiff. "Follow me", Ephram whispered as they stepped off the platform.

Walking as if they belonged on the ship the two men made their way through the grey corridors. None of the soldiers cared much for the slaves, Ephram had explained to Jack. As such it was easy to pretend they'd always been part of this ships' crew. Slaves were only numbers, never people. Jack bowed to another soldier and could barely conceal his grin. It was far too easy to fool these Zoganians now that they'd infiltrated their ranks… and yet, he knew it was best not to get too cocky. One slip could be enough to reveal their mission and then all was lost. So in spite of his flamboyant nature Jack calmed himself down to fade into the crowd as one of the many rather than his unique self.

At last Jack was beginning to feel like they were getting somewhere. "Two down, six left to go", he encouraged Ephram to keep going, not that the man needed much incentive. More than once Jack saw the loss in his eyes and he realised here was a man who got pushed too far. Entire families and worlds were torn apart, races obliterated and planets scavenged. At his side was just one survivor, who managed to pull out from beyond the nanites somehow. A lone figure amongst a number of men lost in a war no one could win of the overpowering race. Who knew how many more victims would fall after Earth?

Along the way Jack made a decision he knew he would have to live by. These Zoganians had to come to a full halt here. No escape and no mercy, for they would only throw it back at the universe. All of his friends had so much more heart than he had. Maybe it was best they were left unaware of how he had upped the sabotage to destructive levels.

It was surprisingly easy for him to set the weapons to self destruct the moment they would be called upon. All he needed to do was disable the energy modulator to the point where it took in so much more power than it needed to. Upon release it would cause a feedback loop and voila, instant explosion. Fuel lines would trigger another, then another until the ship would turn into one glowing ball of fire… or at least that was what he had aimed for.

Jack pushed aside his twinge of guilt about the innocent slaves who were lost to the nanites and would fall along with the cold hearted soldiers. Pity did not help Earth survive this war and so he distracted Ephram from the truth as well. Only Jack was aware of the fact the moment the Zoganians would ready their weapons to fire they would doom themselves. Good thing for the planet below the 51st century Time Agent he used to be still hadn't lost his touch when it came to spaceship engines. It was up to the aliens now to make the choice whether to attack or retreat…


	34. CAI: Chapter twelve

**Chapter twelve**

Shivering from the cold the three friends reached the heart of the Valley of the Fallen Kings. Along the way Merlin had used his magic to hide the footprints they had left behind in the snow, so the soldiers wouldn't follow them all the way to the cave. Arthur had grumbled his reluctant agreement when he explained that they could not afford the soldiers to catch even a single glimpse on the cave. In words his friend accepted what needed to be and in his actions too, but Merlin saw in his manners that there was a limit to how far he would go. He appreciated the sentiment, even though he was unwilling to let Arthur stop him before he was done with what he came to do.

Behind him Gwaine was silent and alert as they walked on, evading a handful soldiers along the way. Merlin found his solid though far too quiet presence a comfort. It was as if he took the edge of their moods by simply being there. Every time Gwaine helped him up to his feet when he stumbled over the icy slopes in the valley Merlin realised that the strong arms holding him lingered for longer than required. At first he accepted it for the support he was given, but the more it happened the more he began to wonder if there was more to it than that. Gwaine though avoided making eye contact and he simply nodded before he let go. Each time when he did Merlin felt strangely disappointed.

There was no time left though to ponder about his strong feelings of old. Merlin saw that they had reached the cave and so he stopped thinking about it. It hurt too much anyway to know that what awaited him would sweep away his second chance of happiness with the two men he cared for more than he had told them…

Brushing passed Arthur he walked over to the seemingly solid wall rising up in front of them. To a passerby the entrance was hidden, as if there was nothing but rocks and ferns here, but Merlin knew better. Stepping close to it he touched the rocks. The flutter of magic from the crystals inside touched his mind and it made him smile. "It's still alive", he muttered in relief.

"What is?" Arthur asked in confusion as he stared at nothing but rocks.

"The heart of magic is inside a cave, hidden by these rocks. Here, let me show you." Merlin closed his eyes to focus on the sealed entrance. Once he had it full on his mind he pushed it open with a single thought. When the opening appeared for him he walked inside, trusting on past experiences that his friends would follow.

"Wow…", came a reverent whisper from behind him. Merlin smiled while he stared into the cave with a similar feeling. Even though he'd been around the crystals before the sight never failed to impress. Pale white light shone from the ones still working their magic. Some had died over the centuries, but luckily many still breathed life. Inside each crystal the future could be seen, or sometimes the past. The seeing power was not an easy one and Merlin had never mastered to use it properly, or so he felt. The crystals had only ever shown him what they wanted him to see and not what he wished to see.

"Merlin… my son." The greeting came to his mind from out of thin air before the pale, blue-ish image of a man appeared in the middle of the cave.

"Father?" Merlin blinked at the spirit with disbelief and a rush of joy. "Are you really here?" He turned to face his friends and saw them stare back at him with confusion.

"They can't see me", Balinor offered an apologetic shrug. "Only those with magic can see the caretakers of old."

"Merlin, what…", Arthur began to ask at the same time Merlin rushed to explain himself. "I am not the first caretaker of this cave. My father was one before me. His spirit appeared to me when we came in. Please, can you give us a moment? I need to talk to him." Turning back to Balinor he smiled. It was so good to see him here; maybe his father had more answers for him. Merlin stepped forward to get closer to him.

"I have seen in the crystals why you are here, my son. It is a harsh destiny resting upon your shoulders, but I have faith you will make the right choice."

Merlin swallowed back his pain to ask, "My life for the world? There is only one path I can take."

"That is not the choice", Balinor looked upset and amused at the same time. It was a strange balance, but Merlin was about to understand why his father felt so torn. "You have been the protector of this cave for many centuries, just like I have been before you. The world asks a great sacrifice of you, but she will not take your life for she isn't the master of life and death. Fate of your future lies in your hands and that of our Goddess. It is your immortality and birth given magic at stake here today. Humanity will live to see another day the moment you touch the crystals. You, my son, once were magic itself, but no more. Destiny has decided to set you free from your duty as caretaker. It is up to you to make a choice now. Either you stop the still alive crystals in the cave from dying by becoming a mortal and passing on your gift, or you can continue to live forever by taking all the power away from this place."

Balinor stepped forward to touch his shoulder. Merlin was surprised when he felt a soft brush. "Pass on my gift? How can I? What… what choice should I make?" The day was catching up with him as the meaning behind the two options tried to dawn on his mind. It was no longer a possibility, but a sure fact that he was doing this. Either all he was would be no more, or he'd end the life of the crystals and doom the future of magic itself. Once more Merlin felt like someone ripped his heart out. In order to save a disbelieving world he faced losing the most important power Earth had to offer: magic. No… he could never let the cave die out, could he?

When he looked up he saw his father step back to make way for his friends. Balinor offered a wry smile as if to say that he was sorry he couldn't be of more help. Gwaine's hand fell on his right shoulder and Arthur's on his left, taking his attention away from the spirit form before him. They both looked at him with tears glistening in their eyes.

"We are here for you", Gwaine said while Arthur gave one sharp nod of his head and smiled in encouragement.

"Talk to us, Merlin. What choice?"

* * *

Far up in the sky and many miles from the crystal lit cave Jack was still unaware of the dilemma facing Merlin. His mind was focussed on his own task at hand. The final ship was almost disabled, just one command needed to be erased. Ephram had no trouble finding it on his own and so while he watched Jack fished his mobile phone from the pocket of his trousers. Dialling for Torchwood he smiled when he heard Gwen's voice come from the other end. "Hey Jack, how is it going?"

"All done here", he answered with a wide smile and nod to Ephram. He aimed the Zoganian weapon at the console and shot it into submission. There was no way it would work again any time soon. Satisfied Jack started walking. "We are on our way down now, Gwen. How are the others doing?"

He heard Gwen tap away on some keys of the computer which controlled the Torchwood network. "Actually I was on my way to find out."

Only a few seconds passed when he heard Martha's voice. "Jack… Gwen… hey", her greeting sounded somewhat rushed and yet satisfied too. "I was on my way to call you. We have just loaded the final missile with the vaccine. All is set to go, so we are ready to fire them into the air when you are."

"You mean when Merlin is?"

Rolling his eyes at Gwen's remark Jack grinned and then he quickly hushed down. Ahead of him in the corridor were two soldiers coming towards them. He hid the phone in his sleeve and walked on, head bowed as a sign of respect he did not feel. When he turned the corner he put the phone to his ear again, "I'm back… have you managed to reach the others yet?"

Gwen huffed on the other side, which made Jack aware she had been trying for some time now. "Ianto answered earlier, but the line went dead on us. Hang on while I try to contact him again."

For a while it was silent until at last Ianto's voice could be heard amongst the static crackle. "We are nearly there…" He sounded out of breath to Jack. "Just a couple of hundred yards left to go."

Before he could ask more Arthur picked up the conference call as well. "Gwen. Yes, we have made it too." His voice sounded distracted and upset, "Let me hand you to Merlin. He can…" The voice turned into a crackle of static before the line disconnected.

Jack didn't even need to ask Gwen to redial for he could hear her curse and say, "Help me get him back." The order he knew was meant for the druids who were at the hospital with her. He could hear Grabriel's calm voice mutter something in the background.

Tuning out on the chatter Jack stepped into the transporter chambers and gestured to Ephram to slow down. "I need to know first if my team is ready", he explained.

Martha grinned on the other side of the line. "Have you made a new friend, Jack?"

Grinning he replied, "Of course I have, you know me. Talking about friends, no sign yet from a certain Timelord?"

Martha sounded unsure, "No, we need to go ahead with what we have and make it work somehow. Jack… do you think it will?"

Deciding against being honest at this stage Jack only remarked, "Trust me, Martha. The Zoganians won't know what hit them."

"Famous last words", even at this late hour and everyone tired to the bone Jack was amused to hear Ianto had not lost his dry remarks.

"Ah, but you know the Captain… he likes to have the last word."

This time it was Merlin who answered for the three friends Jack heard. He grinned at the words the warlock spoke, but for once he didn't rise to the bait for he wanted off the ship he was on. Instead he asked the one question they all needed to know. "So Merlin are you ready for us?"

* * *

Dusk had fallen over Wales when Gary and Ianto made it to the final stretch of their climb. The freezing cold bit into whatever part of him was uncovered and Gary shivered at the biting wind. Whatever these aliens had done to the world it changed nothing to this place. The Brecon Beacons in winter were as unfriendly as ever. He had done the climb many times in his life, sometimes with his son and more often than not alone. This though was the worst hike of them all.

Early on in the walk Ianto had asked questions, but as they reached the escarpments even the young man was struggling to stay on his feet. Side by side they had helped each other onwards through the snow until finally the cairn doomed up beneath the now star lit sky. When they had finally reached it they crouched down to find some shelter from the cold wind. Sadly it didn't quite work, but at least they had their magic to keep them a bit warmer than any other human would have been able to.

Sitting down on a larger stone Gary dropped his hiking poles and he removed his gloves. Ianto looked down at him in confusion, making him smile. "Touching the cairn makes the connection to my ancestor stronger and we need all the power we can get", he explained before he reached out with his mind to the man buried beneath the cairn. "Iseldir…are you here?" His voice faded into the wind.

Gary watched as Ianto fumbled with the phone to answer it at the same time he was undoing his gloves. One bare hand joined his on the cairn. "You need my help", Ianto said before he spoke into the phone to let his friends know that he had walked up the hill. He'd barely spoken when his blue eyes widened. Turning his head Gary followed his line of sight…

A few yards away from them Iseldir's spirit appeared in front of them. His green cape was in contrast to the snow, even in the dark of night. Light eyes blinked before they settled on his visitors. For once Iseldir had opted to show himself to more people than just the chieftain who followed in his footsteps.

Gary smiled at his ancestor and nodded in understanding. "Iseldir, glad you could come before us today. Albion's hour of need has arrived. Emrys needs your help."

Iseldir lowered his cape and spoke, "Our people have foretold this long ago and while I have wished for it not to come the Goddess herself told me that it was only inevitable. So I begged her to let me help and she has listened. Tell Emrys that I am sorry he has to make this choice. Tell him to listen to his heart when he makes it."

To Gary's surprise Iseldir narrowed his eyes and the spirit walked over to Ianto to stare him in the eyes with barely concealed interest. Ianto met him head on, but Gary could see that he was struggling not to step back in shock at seeing a ghost. "Your arrival was unseen, but it gives me hope. Remind Emrys that the cycle of life can not be broken, not even now."

Before Gary could react Iseldir faded back into nothingness, though he could still sense his presence in the back of his mind. The spirit belonging to the cairn was strong, but not even Iseldir could maintain a visible form for long and so he returned to the spirit plain. Gary knew that he would do what he could for Emrys and the world from there.

In spite of his confusion at what he had seen Ianto listened to the voices coming over the telephone. Belatedly he hit the speaker button, so that Gary could listen in to the conversation. Finally Merlin's voice came through loud and clear as he answered Jack's question, "As ready as I can be, Captain."

"Emrys… wait, before you do anything", Gary interrupted from his side. "Iseldir has a message for you. He wanted us to remind you of how the cycle of life can't be broken."

Ianto narrowed his eyes at what it could mean. He listened with growing amazement as Merlin's deep voice on the other end of the line unravelled the truth hidden beneath the cryptic words of the druid spirit. "The endless cycle of life? Oh of course, trust Iseldir to know what to say and when to say it. He is right, isn't he father? The heart of magic needs a caretaker, one who is magic itself or maybe one who is a direct descendant in the long line of men who are connected to it. The magic in me isn't fading, because of the Zoganians and their metal nanites. It is fading, because the time has come for me to let go. My life was long, but not unending in the way I have always believed. Our bloodline doesn't end here with me. When Ianto's magic was awoken last summer my birth magic must have felt it and it sensed my time had come. Iseldir is right… there is a chance that the power in these crystals will burn strong once more and maybe, just maybe I get to keep some of my other magic for the rest of my mortal life."

The stunned silence lasted after Merlin's words faded. In between the lines Ianto began to see what the warlock meant to say. "You mean me? I am to follow in your footsteps?"

His questions lingered a little before Arthur interrupted, "Ianto is your descendant? How come we didn't know this?"

Ianto grinned when Merlin hissed, "Long story short, he is my great grandson and I didn't know either until we fished Ianto out of the frozen water. Well to be honest, I wasn't really sure until this moment. Now let us adults talk." Their banter eased the tension for a moment and several grins could be heard over the weak line of communications.

Merlin returned to the conversation at hand, "Yes… there is a chance I can channel my magical connection to this place onto you, but Ianto I need to be truthful with you. There is a price to pay if you do this. The caretaker is bound to this place, sworn to protect the gift of magic for our kind for as long as he lives, and this may be forever."

"I would become immortal, you mean?"

Before Merlin could even answer his question the silence of the others was broken. "No… you can't do it", came Jack's voice. Ianto heard the pain inside and he knew about the worries his lover had. If anyone fully understood the downside of immortality it was Jack, who had by now lived for over two millennia. His eyes had seen too much and his heart was broken so many times that he no longer recovered. Ianto had seen how much it hurt, but he also saw an upside to this impossible offer. If he lived forever too Jack no longer had to face eternity by himself.

"There will be no goodbyes for you anymore, Jack. Not when it comes to me. You wouldn't have to leave me behind some years from now and I will no longer feel guilty about being mortal. We could live forever, side by side, travelling the world and the skies beyond. You and me… always."

"There will be many other goodbyes though", Merlin added in a solemn voice. "Children, friends, lovers…"

Jack hummed his agreement while Gwen added her thoughts in the mix. "He is right though, you have been alone for too long, Jack. There may be a downside to immortality, but there is also beauty in it. I can't even begin to imagine how many beautiful places you two can see and visit. Shouldn't it be his choice?"

Ianto smiled at the way she was the voice of reason and when Martha cheered her on some more he could almost see Jack roll his eyes as he said, "Women."

There was no ill manner in his voice though and by the time Merlin grinned Ianto had made his decision. "Then by all means, Emrys…" He put emphasis on the warlock's more meaningful name, "Let us save not only the world, but the heart of magic too. I would be honoured to take over for the sake of our kind."


	35. CAI: Chapter thirteen

**Chapter thirteen**

Merlin smiled through his tears at the remark. Even though he felt far from sure about what he had to do he admired Ianto's determination and leap of faith. For the younger man to become immortal while he knew what it meant showed that he believed in the same values. Humanity and especially those with magic were to live another day because he stepped up to take over from Merlin.

Handing Arthur the phone Merlin nodded to his father. "My choice is made. This is how it must be."

Balinor smiled his approval. "As long as you believe in it you are doing the right thing, my son." Merlin saw his image flicker, which made him understand that his father was called back to the spirit world. "I am proud of you", came the final words as Balinor faded away.

"Goodbye father", Merlin whispered into the air, afraid that it would be the last time they were ever reunited. With effort he gathered himself together before he wiped his tears away. Making up his mind to wait no longer he turned to Arthur and Gwaine.

"This isn't goodbye", Gwaine said while he pulled him into a tight hug. "I refuse to believe it is all over." Letting go with clear reluctance the former knight stepped back to make room for Arthur.

"So do I", Arthur smiled as he gave him an awkward clap on his back. "We will not let go of you that easy, old friend."

Grinning at the nickname Arthur insisted on using since he had come to this time Merlin pulled him in for a hug. With a wordless gesture he told Gwaine to join in, and to his happiness the former knight hurried to do as told. "You two are the best companions I could have on any quest. Watch each other's backs after I am gone", Merlin said before he pulled back to walk further into the cave to be among the crystals.

"Is that phone still working?" He asked as he stood between the brightest and largest crystals.

Arthur met his eyes, unafraid for once to show his tears. "It is. Good luck, Merlin. We will see you on the other side."

The refusal to say goodbye was still there Merlin noted and he could only smile at the sign of friendship it was. "I can't make that promise for this is not without risk", he warned. Holding up his hand to stop Gwaine from taking another step towards him Merlin shook his head with an upset sigh. He needed to get on with it, or he'd loose his nerves altogether and there was no way that he could let it happen.

Taking a calming breath he spoke up loud enough so that the others listening in on the phone would hear him too, "Everyone, the time is now. Be ready for the wave of magic. Martha, have your people launch the missiles in about half a minute."

"I will, Martha out." Her short answer told him that she was already on her way to make it happen. In a few more moments they would know if the vaccine worked.

 _"We are ready too",_ Gary's distant voice came on his mind. _"Good luck, Emrys."_ His words were simple, but Merlin heard the worry laced in his voice.

 _"Thank you",_ he answered just as direct in his mind's voice, while he conveyed all of his emotions of thanks for the druid's quiet presence throughout the day.

"Merlin… I don't know what to say", Gwen faltered.

Merlin smiled when Jack took over in his unique forward style. "It has been an honour, Warlock. This world owes you one huge favour. Well, at the very least a full month's worth of sleep I say." The Captain grinned before he continued, "Let us save the world and be done for today. Coffee at the Hub in the morning. I will see you all there."

Shaking his head at the Captain's words Merlin looked at his two best friends for one final time. There were no words he could think of to tell them how he truly felt about them in his last few minutes. Everything he wanted to say would hurt too much and so he simply nodded before he turned away from them in regret of all the years they were parted. Merlin took a deep breath to calm down his feelings. It didn't quite work, but he wasted no more time and shutting down his turbulent thoughts he began to concentrate on the power of the crystals.

Merlin felt his magic rejoice at the connection with the crystals. Merging together they burned brighter than ever before in his long life. The thrill of the power rushed to his head, but Merlin pushed the exhilaration back down. This was not for himself, none of it would be of any use to him. Sadness filled his heart while he pushed on to gather all the magic he could feel around him. It rushed in his veins, brighter and brighter until finally he reached the point where he knew he had to let it go and spread out across the world.

Still Merlin held on, because it wasn't time just yet. The power of the cave and his immortal presence as the one to guard it needed to be handed down. His blood also ran in the veins of another human being. His only great grandson still alive, who had the gift and determination to take it on. Ianto… where was he? Merlin sought the Pen-y-Fan in his mind and the single stone cairn standing just below the top. There it was, the top of the barren hill and the two men who sat shivering in the cold wind.

 _"Ianto"_ , he whispered and he felt a confused presence receive the call. Too tired for more words Merlin touched the young soul's mind to hand down the duty he had never taken lightly. He knew it was done when he felt Ianto fall to his knees in acceptance.

Letting go of the image in his mind Merlin opened his eyes, though his golden eyes saw nothing but bright white light. "Albion's hour of need… it ends here", the words fell from his lips before he could even stop them. He was unaware of how his words echoed inside the cave and even through the sky via the mobile phone Arthur was still gripping too firm in his hand. Tears fell from his friends' eyes, but he could not see this either. Nor did he hear Ianto's shout of pain as the added magic rushed inside him like a flash flood.

All awareness of life around him faded as Merlin released every fibre of his magic and that of the crystals onto the world in one powerful wave of golden light. Yet each time it touched another awake being with the gift of magic somewhere in the world he felt them touch his mind as they pushed his power to heal onwards. Their belief and presence encouraged him to keep it up, even though he sensed that he was slowly falling into darkness himself. "Please, let it end", his exhausted mind screamed at him in pain while he pushed it to the limit to ensure they covered every mile of the planet. He ignored the scream until the point where it all became too much and he felt forced to let go…

* * *

Above the world in a sharp contrast to any sort of warmth Zamira rose from her throne to stare out of the window in stunned confusion. A strange golden glow erupted like a cloud in the dark sky. Her nanites protested at the sight, as if they knew what was going on before she could even begin to form a thought on the strange phenomena. Was this a normal thing for the planet, or had humanity made a final stand after all? No, it couldn't be… could it?

Angered she turned to a nearby soldier. "Find out what's going on", the order was followed by the woman in question pushing the button of her communications device.

A soldier who had beamed down to the surface answered, panic and confusion in her voice, "The humans. They are waking up, commander. Women, men and children alike they have all opened their eyes. I can no longer sense their nanites. Commander, what should we do?"

Zamira narrowed her eyes in growing anger. "Beam them back up here. Then send down the cubes for a second wave of nanites. Hurry!" Her order was met with soldiers jumping into action and secondary orders shouted across the bridge.

Waiting for anything to happen Zamira watched them work for a while. Less than a minute passed before the soldiers turned to her with looks of utter confusion. "Empress, the cubes… they will not launch", one said while another added, "The particle gun went down and it is failing to re-engage."

A third talked into a communications device and after she was done she turned to Zamira shaking her head. "The other ships report the same failures…" Her voice faltered at the end when the empress shouted out her frustration.

"No! How can this be? Who let this happen?" Zamira's questions were met with bowed heads and looks of defeat. "Alright, that is it. We will have to win this war the old fashioned way. Ready the weapon platforms on all ships. If this planet will not bow it will have to be destroyed." Her voice was cold as she sneered out her final orders.

* * *

Jack was glad to have solid ground below his feet again. Standing in the snow with Ephram at his side he shook his head at the unusual sight in front of him. Not only was he blinking into the sunlight he also found himself staring at an infamous building with a roof that seemed to be made out of white shell formed shapes. "I am in Sydney?" Jack rolled his eyes in annoyance. Man, this was going to be a long flight home…

Putting the phone back to his ear Jack heard someone sniffle. Was it Arthur?

"Wait… we must not disturb him." Gwaine sounded sad and reluctant.

"But Gwaine, he's in pain…"

The two men's upset voices faded before Jack could ask what was going on. The words formed on his lips, but the sight in front of him made him stop from speaking. Across the water of the harbour a wave of gold, spiralled swirls came crashing towards him. They were barely visible in the sunlight, but Jack knew what they were the instant he saw them appear.

Ianto had once tried to explain what it was like when Merlin healed him from the cube virus. None of it made any sense though, that was until now. Swirls of beautiful golden dust glimmered in the air as they blew forwards rapidly. One touched Jack on the cheek and he felt its warmth spread through his body. Smiling he watched it move on. In the corner of his eyes he saw how higher up in the air a missile exploded. The vaccine!

Jack let his eyes fall upon a family lying asleep in the for Australia foreign snow. The father of three was the first to blink open his eyes. Startled he sat up to shake his wife awake. The red haired woman with freckles smiled widely at her husband, though she was equally as confused to why they were lying on the street. Their kids' laughter soon announced that they were awake as well. They jumped up and down, while the girl began to shout, "Mummy… snow."

Jack grinned when he saw her run off, closely followed by her two older brothers. "Be careful", the mother shouted after them as she brushed the rapidly melting snow from her bare arms. Of course, Jack realised, it was the middle of summer now on the southern hemisphere.

One by one the awake people of Sydney stared up to the sky. "Crikey, what is going on?" A man shouted in a heavy Australian dialect. Some women began to panic and they ran off. Others people looked wary and nervous, but they were too intrigued to go just yet. Jack looked up into the sky with them, awaiting the Zoganian's next move.

The not quite unexpected series of loud explosions told Jack all he needed to know. His decision to give the Zoganians only one chance at retreat had proven to be the right one. The cold hearted soldiers had aimed their weapons and they were now paying the price for their war faring nature.

As the ship above him shattered to pieces Jack saw the shock in Ephram's eyes before he fell to the ground with a groan of pain. Jack knelt at the former slave's side and grimaced at the lack of life there. The nanites had killed the man they'd owned for the years they turned him into a slave. It seemed they were set too deep in his being for him to be cured by the magic enhanced vaccine. Well, at least Ephram had died in freedom; Jack tried to warn himself off on any other emotions he felt rise. All the same he walked away from the scene with pain on his far too scarred heart.

* * *

Gwen stared at her computer screen while she listened to the confused chatter of her friends coming over the phone. All along the last few hours she'd logged onto the cctv of the Hub and stared at the spaceship threatening her home town and the husband she was forced to leave behind on the couch. She kept wishing that her team would be successful, even though she had her doubts. She worked hard to get the network up and to keep her friends connected. All the running around in the small hospital room kept her mind busy; without it she would have sat down in despair some hours ago.

The calming presence of Gabriel at her side was part of what kept her going. In some ways he was a bit old fashioned, but in other ways he knew a lot of modern technology. With ease he helped her set up the network. They talked for a while about his pregnant wife and the boy they took into their home, because his birthparents were afraid of his gift. He spoke of magic with passion and she smiled at the beauty of it. Ianto had been right all along to trust in it, she thought as she saw Gabriel's love and warmth. Slowly she began to believe Merlin would beat the odds.

Then came the twist in what Merlin felt forced to do. Her heart fell at the deep dread she picked up on in his voice. When she heard his goodbyes to his friends she almost felt like an intruder. Their friendship ran so deep it was almost as if it was somehow more than that. "It is their shared destiny", Gabriel had explained how it was written down in the ancient druid prophecies. Even so Gwen could see in his eyes that he too felt uneasy at the big ask of the three men.

When Ianto spoke up for himself and he offered Merlin a way to maybe walk away alive Gwen felt her heart swell in pride. Of course Jack complained, because he had seen so much in his far too long life… but still she could hear the barely hidden longing in his voice to no longer be alone. It was why she intervened and she knew Martha had picked up on it too.

In the tense moments which followed Gwen watched as Cardiff Bay got lit up in a golden light, chasing the darkness of night away for a handful of seconds. As the gold left the air a missile exploded above England, or so Martha reported with a shout of "yes!". When the first citizen awoke and others followed in his a wake Gwen laughed away the tension as she whooped at the sight. "Merlin… you did it. It is working, people are waking up."

Silence was her only answer on the telephone. As the people around the world awoke her friends connected through the network fell silent. What was going on out there? "Jack, Ianto, Arthur, Martha… anyone? Please, let me know if you are alive."

While to her astonishment the spaceship above Cardiff shattered to pieces Ianto began to speak. "It is done…", the words sounded solemn. His teeth chattered as he continued, "We can't stay up here for much longer, so we are about to walk back down."

A second passed when Martha and Jack started speaking at once, "I am still here. We are done. All missiles were launched successfully. The vaccine has spread."

"The world is safe", Jack repeated the words he spoke at the same time as Martha. "The Zoganians have made their choice. I am coming back home now", he sounded far more tired than he would ever admit. Between his words Gwen heard a hollow sadness as well.

"You blew up the ships, didn't you?" The lack of answer to her question rang loud and clear.

On the other end of the line she heard Martha sigh before she said, "It needed to be done Jack. These aliens had no mercy and we would have never beaten them any other way. I am sorry that you were the only one up there…"

Before the captain could react a torn voice shouted over the network, "Merlin!" There was a rush of footsteps as the phone thudded to the ground.

It was a wonder it still worked, Gwen noted when she heard unintelligible voices in the distance. They all listened, waiting for someone to pick up the now damaged phone. Worried Gwen started pacing as she listened to Jack mumble under his breath, "Let him live." Sharing his prayer she stared at the computer, urging it to bring forth any of the three men's voices.

When finally Gwaine picked it up her frayed nerves shattered. "We need help here, a healer, or druid… whatever."

His unsure, heartbroken voice faltered before Arthur took over. "Send a healer to the beginning of the hidden path. We will get Merlin there. I doubt any doctor of this time can help. Send someone with ancient knowledge, someone who knows of healing magic. He asked for Gary as he collapsed. Get him too, if you can." The line went dead in the trust Gwen and Torchwood would come through for him.

A quiet voice at Gwen's side offered, "I can help him. Take me there." Gwen looked up into Gabriel's blue grey eyes and saw the calm worry there make place for determination. "I am both a magical healer and a doctor. If anyone can help Emrys…"

Gwen wasted no more time. Her headset fell to the ground as she grabbed her coat and ran out of the door, closely followed by her druid helper.


	36. CAI: Chapter fourteen

**Chapter fourteen**

The cottage far up north in Keswick was shrouded in peace on a sunny winter's day. The snow had melted and the world around the house had turned back to normal, but inside the owners had not moved on. Days had passed since the alien invasion, a week even by now. Gwaine wasn't even aware of how much time had passed, for to him every second was one too long he spend in utter worry for his friend. In spite of Gabriel's healing sessions Merlin stayed far out of it. There was no sign that he would wake up any time soon, but Gwaine was unwilling to give up hope and so was Arthur. The two of them had spent every waking hour at their friend's side since Jack drove them back home.

Often Gwaine talked to Merlin just to avoid thinking. Memories of the past fell from his lips in the hope that they would somehow raise his friend from his deep slumber. He recalled pranks he played on his fellow knights in the past, but his jokes fell flat even to his own ears. Today he no longer had any words left, so he just sat in silence, taking in the unmoving form on the bed. Behind his eyelids Merlin's eyes kept moving in restless jitters, as if he was trying to break free from the dreams which plagued him. Gwaine wished that he could take away his pain; anything to see Merlin burst with life and joy again. Resting his hand on one of Merlin's shoulders Gwaine laid his head on the bed beside the lanky frame, just to be near him.

Shuffling footsteps coming over announced that Arthur had returned from talking to Jack. The Torchwood three remained nearby, staying over at the local pub just to be there for them after everything they'd been through. Ianto visited more often than the other two, a serious expression on his face each time he did. Gwaine knew that the Welshman had many questions about what he had become, but no one dared to speak of his unlimited future just yet for it reminded them of how much Merlin had sacrificed for them all.

In silence Arthur joined him in his vigil and he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Get something to eat, Gwaine. I will watch him for a while", it almost sounded like an order but there was no real force behind it. They both accepted that he wasn't going to listen anyway. The dull eyes which met his when he looked up were filled with pain. "How has he been?" Gwaine only shrugged his answer, because he no longer wanted to say out loud how there was no change.

"I think Jack is getting restless. All this waiting, it isn't him", Arthur continued to break the silence. Gwaine grimaced, but he remained silent. The truth was that none of them were good without action. "I told him it is alright if they head back…" The voice trailed off when Arthur realised Gwaine wasn't in any sort of talkative mood.

For a while they both sat in silence, each lost in their thoughts. Every now and then Arthur got up to pace, or to straighten sheets that barely needed readjusting. When he made to rise a fourth time Gwaine stopped him with a firm grip around a wrist. "All this waiting isn't you either, Arthur."

The former King rose an eyebrow at his remark, "Nor is it you, or Merlin. We should be out there riding our horses, or walk across the fields listening to his insistent prattling. I don't know if I can bear this much longer, Gwaine."

The serious admission at the end of the heartfelt words made Gwaine look at his friend more closely. "Nor can I, but if waiting is what we must do, then so be it. Even if it breaks my heart doing so."

"You care for him." The remark itself was simple, but Gwaine saw in the blue eyes that Arthur meant more than just friendship. After he nodded his friend looked to the ground and admitted softly, "As do I." Lifting his head again Arthur gave him a wry smile, "How did he worm his way into our hearts like this?"

Gwaine grinned at the disbelief in his voice, because to him it was very clear. From the day he had met Merlin there had been something about him. No one was as kind hearted and open minded as the former servant was. The way he cared for others at the cost of his own wellbeing had always impressed Gwaine, while at the same time he worried about it. Merlin had taken his destiny to heart and he'd been there for Arthur every step along the way. Gwaine had watched the two be no more than brothers on the outside, but be so much more in their hearts.

In a way he had been jealous of their relationship, but not anymore. Since they had come to this time Merlin had taken them both into his heart even though he had guarded it with the walls he had built up over the centuries. Gwaine wondered if they were pulled down far enough by now, because he needed the truth to be out there. All he hoped was that his friends were as ready to own up as he was.

For days now he'd been pondering to talk to Arthur, but his friend had closed everyone out with his need to stay in control of a situation no one had any control over. Something Jack said must have touched him, Gwaine realised, because the former King had stepped down before he walked into the bedroom and back was his friend. His remarks had given Gwaine an opening, but was he brave enough to break the silence?

Arthur's eyes were still on his when Gwaine shook the thoughts from his mind. The raw emotions lingering inside the blue eyes made the decision for him. More than anything he wanted to kiss the hurt away and make Arthur smile again. Before he was even aware they'd moved closer to each other Gwaine's lips found the other pair. For a breathtaking second they were kissing and for one moment all felt right with the world.

Startled Arthur pulled away to catch his eyes. Gwaine didn't waver while the former King made his choice. When lips found his in an eager to speak words neither knew how to say out loud his heart found its old strength again. The thrill of it made Gwaine smile deep inside. Parting for air he let his forehead rest against Arthur's for a few seconds. It was his way to show that all would be alright between them. He startled though when an unused voice croaked into the silence, "Can I join in?"

"Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed their surprise. They both turned towards the bed with blushing cheeks, where they were met with a cheeky smile from the man they loved. It took them less than a second to carefully pull him tight against them in a hug that said everything about how much they had missed him.

* * *

Down in the kitchen an unaware Jack decided not to leave for the day just yet. Instead he called Gwen and Ianto over as well. "We need to intervene", he explained. For days now he had watched as Arthur and Gwaine pushed themselves too far in their vigil over their fallen friend. Jack wasn't an all too optimistic person and as time passed he doubted that Merlin would wake again. Of course he never admitted it, because the one time he'd come even close to suggesting it his head got bitten off by Arthur. It was on that day he fully saw the King the man had once been. The only one able to rein the anger back in was Gwaine, who had come running down from upstairs when he had heard raised voices rise even higher.

Since then neither of the two men had spoken much to Jack. Only earlier today when Arthur opened the door for him did he show a softer side, his anger had clearly died down. The time was finally there to talk about the aftermath of the invasion. Jack explained to Arthur how a slim number of people were allergic to the metal killers and that they had sadly fallen victim before the cure even touched them. A final search for patient zero, the person who'd fallen at the hands of the scout cube at the Valley of the Fallen Kings, had shown them this truth. The old man walking his dog had seemingly died of a heart attack, but the truth was that his heart had given up the minute the nanites infiltrated it, or so Martha had concluded. He was buried two months before the invasion, so it was no wonder Torchwood was unable to find him for so long.

Arthur's reaction had been a quiet and sad, "Merlin won't like this. Every soul lost is one too many…" Before Jack could even react Arthur had walked up the stairs again, leaving him behind in the kitchen with the pot of old coffee and a pile of untouched biscuits. The dullness in his eyes had Jack worried to the point where he knew they had to knock some sense in the two friends, who were forgetting to live in their wake for the one they'd lost.

Once the Torchwood three had gathered they headed up the stairs only to find the others smiling and talking, including Merlin. Jack could not believe his eyes when he saw that the raven haired man was sitting up. He looked as pale as the white sheets around him, but he smiled with a joy that made everyone feel alive with him. Jack waited until Gwen was done hugging him and Ianto had given his half shy version of one. Stepping forwards he clasped Merlin's hand as he had seen him do with his friends. It was his way to say thanks without words for all the warlock had done.

"Thank you", Merlin answered out loud. "All of you. Without each one of you I could not have done it."

For a moment it was silent. It was clear to Jack that the other man had exhausted himself already. Retreating he ushered Gwen and Ianto out of the room. "We will check up on you tomorrow morning before we return to Cardiff to fight some aliens. It is good to see you alive, Merlin." Winking to Gwaine he added, "And you two, start taking care of yourselves too. That is an order."

Gwaine looked mock impressed, "Yes, sir." His sloppy salute made Jack grin as he closed the bedroom door behind him on his way out.

* * *

Woken by the light of dawn Arthur lifted his head. Slowly opening his eyes he realised that he had fallen asleep on top of the blankets and with his head on Merlin's chest. The even movement of the chest below him was a sure sign that his friend was still sleeping sound, something he figured was probably for the best. Behind Merlin a mess of dark hair rested on the bed, while Gwaine's lower half was still in the chair because there wasn't enough space for three on the single bed. The awkward position was bound to leave the former knight with some aches, but Arthur had a feeling that Gwaine wouldn't care.

Careful and silent Arthur got up. He tiptoed around the bed to gently shake Gwaine awake. Blinking upwards the brown eyes slowly focussed on him. Arthur held his finger to his lips, "Come downstairs with me. We will let Merlin sleep a bit longer. He needs to get his strength up." Nodding Gwaine stretched and got up on his feet. After he kissed Merlin on his forehead the knight followed Arthur out of the room.

Arthur was the first to walk into the kitchen and at once he smelled the aroma of coffee. He wasn't surprised when Gwaine brushed passed him to pour two mugs full of the welcome dark fluid. Yawning Arthur noticed that the table was filled with plates of bread, cheeses and glasses of orange juice. His stomach growled at the smell of fresh breakfast and he was eager to find out if it tasted as good as it looked.

A polite cough behind him announced the presence of the three culprits. Arthur turned around to meet their smiling faces and he smiled back in thanks. When he caught sight of Jack glancing passed him he realised that the captain was still awaiting Merlin. With a wince he admitted, "We didn't have the heart to wake him."

Jack smiled knowingly, "We will leave some for Merlin then, but before we head home we wanted to make sure that you two handsome men ate something for once to get your strength back up." The accompanying wink was almost too cheesy, but all the same Arthur smiled at the way Jack was still Jack even after everything they had seen and done. Nodding his acceptance he pulled back a chair to take a seat.

No one wasted time and the five of them sat down to enjoy the elaborate breakfast. They talked and joked, but Arthur found that his heart was not in it. More than anything he wished for Merlin to join them. Once he had finished his last piece of toast he excused himself with a glance over at Gwaine, who helped him fill a plate with toast and a glass of orange juice for their lover.

Armed with the breakfast tray Arthur walked up the stairs, trying not to spill anything on his way over. Part of him grinned at the way their roles seemed to have reversed, but the part of him which no longer felt the need to uphold his once royal status was glad to be able to do this for Merlin. With some effort he made it inside, only to falter at the sight of the empty bed awaiting him. In shock he dropped the breakfast tray; the glass of orange juice tumbling to the floor while he shouted, "Merlin? Merlin!" His voice echoed in the cottage, alarming the others to the fact something was wrong.

Gwaine arrived at his side first, followed close by the others. "What happened? Arthur, what's wrong?" Worry laced his voice and his manners.

Near speechless Arthur was forced to admit that he had no answers. Once more he glanced over at the empty bed and it was only then that he saw the folded note lying on the pillow. Picking it up with trembling hands he opened it to read out loud the curled, still somewhat old fashioned handwriting. "I am sorry to leave without a word, but there is somewhere I need to be. Do not be scared, my friends. I will be fine once I know who I am and how much I have lost of my old self. I will be back as soon as I can. It is time we talked, no more secrets I promise. Love you both, Merlin."

In his worry Arthur was unaware of the fact he had revealed the latest turn his relationship with Merlin and Gwaine had taken. He failed to see the smile Jack shared with his teammates while he mouthed, "Told you so." All he could focus on was the tumble his emotions were taking in his head. He pushed it aside though to try and make sense of what Merlin had written. Where could his friend be? What place could give him the answer he sought?

With sudden clarity Arthur realised that he had been an idiot not to connect the dots sooner. "Oh of course! I know where he went", he said before he rushed down the stairs and ran out of the door closely followed by the others.

* * *

Two miles east of the cottage Merlin passed through a kissing gate. While it thudded shut behind him he walked further out onto the field of grass. The sight of the ancient stones, lying in a wide circle around him made him smile even though he shook a little from the effort to make it here. This was the place for answers. Sure he was happy to wake up after all that had happened, but deep down inside of him he feared that he completely lost who he once was. He did not care about his immortality and the way it helped him heal faster. No, he was actually more than happy he could grow old with his friends and die when he was tired of living. What he did care about was his magic. How could he be Merlin without it?

His fear of what he would do if he lost it after so many centuries of living had driven him to sneak out beyond his friends' eyes. Though he was done with keeping secrets Merlin needed some space to call upon the ancient druid spirits dwelling among the stones. If he could bring them forward to join him then he had the answer he wanted. Standing in the centre of the stone circle he faltered. What if they did not appear to him? "No", he chastised himself. "I need to do this."

Closing his eyes Merlin focussed on the stones and what they stood for. So long ago the ancient druids who had lived here were free to embrace their faith in this roofless temple. Fires had burned here at the various pagan holidays of the year. These particular druids called Silurians had danced for every time the Goddess had blessed them. It were their oldest of pagan ways which were never quite forgotten by the Earth itself and they still seemed to echo in his blood. Could it be that he had not lost the power of the Silurians? Had their raw energy separated from his birth magic by the force of the crystals like he had deep down hoped?

A bright smile graced his face when on his deepest emotions the druid spirits came to life between the stones around him. He saw the younger men dance in the light of the fires burning while their elders stood at the side to whisper prayers for life and a plentiful season to come. It was Imbolc today, something Merlin had felt in his heart in the moment he'd woken up. The Old Religion marked it as the beginning of spring, which seemed almost poetic to him when he realised he, like the sun, almost felt reborn.

It filled Merlin with hope that his magic still reacted to this tribe's presence. While overall the power in his veins did not burn as bright as it once did he cherished the fact he had not lost his touch with the old elements. Yes, he was a different man, but that was only because he was no longer a caretaker or so powerful that everyone was in awe of him. In truth a part of him felt liberated… though it too felt sad for what he had handed down to Ianto.

In his trance and unaware dance along with the druids Merlin did not hear the kissing gate close shut a few times more. Nor did he hear the happy shout of his name tumble from Arthur's lips. For a while the five newcomers stood watching the dancing man with confusion and amusement. "What are you doing?" Arthur's incredulous question went by equally unnoticed by Merlin.

But somewhere in the distance he heard Gwaine's happy laughter and remark of, "His magic… Arthur, he hasn't lost it. Look, his eyes are glowing. This is why he had to come, don't you see?"

Merlin danced on while Ianto tried to make sense of it. "I can feel magic in the air here… it's strange how I can't see what Merlin brought forth and yet I know that the druids are out there."

The deep voice faded into the distance while Gwaine pulled Arthur along to join Merlin in the dance to the rhythm only he could hear. The warlock finally sensed their presence and he laughed as he embraced them. They'd come home, all three of them and if he had it his way they would never be parted again, not in this life or the next.

Once more the kissing gate thudded closed as the Torchwood three let them be in their reunion with life and magic. Their ways parted here again, but they would always be connected in some way, because Ianto had taken over Merlin's place in the world of magic for the centuries of time still to come…

 **THE END**

* * *

 **Author note:**

To be continued in "Old Friends", which is still in the writing stage. Bear with me as I figure out where to take their story next. ;)


End file.
